The Castle of Torrechiara, a Renaissance gem, is located just minutes away from the Magnani-Rocca Foundation, nestled in the hills of the Val Parma. With a special combined ticket, you can enjoy the perfect day trip.

It’s not often that you can visit both a castle ranked among Italy’s most beautiful and a villa museum showcasing artwork from every era, all in one day. Visitors to the Castle of Torrechiara, by presenting their castle ticket at the entrance of the Villa dei Capolavori, can access the museum at a discounted price of just €12. This allows them to experience both the rich history of the castle and the great art: a permanent collection featuring masterpieces from various epochs, a temporary exhibition, the Romantic Park surrounding the villa, and a restaurant serving traditional Emilian cuisine.

This is why thousands of visitors each year choose to visit the Castle of Torrechiara and the Magnani-Rocca Foundation as their perfect destination for a day immersed in history and beauty.

The Wonders of the Castle of Torrechiara

The Castle of Torrechiara stands on the ruins of a previous castle destroyed in 1259. Construction of the new castle began in May 1448. Commissioned by the Rossi family, the stone and brick castle displays the imposing features of a 15th-century fortress, blending medieval and Renaissance elements.

The rectangular structure is designed around the central Courtyard of Honor, adhering to precise mathematical proportions dictated by Renaissance principles of beauty. Four towers guard the corners of the stone walls and the double moat (once crossed by two drawbridges): the Tower of the Lion, the Tower of the Lily, the Tower of San Nicomede, and the Tower of the Golden Chamber, which houses one of the castle’s masterpieces.

Salone dei Giocolieri del Castello di Torrechiara. Foto: Harrie Gielen (CC BY SA 3.0)
Volta della Sala della Vittoria

La Camera d’Oro capolavoro dell’Amor cortese

La Camera d’Oro

The Camera d’Oro (Golden Chamber) is the only medieval fresco cycle dedicated to celebrating courtly love between two real historical figures. It was the bedroom and private study of Prince Pier Maria II de’ Rossi.

The ceiling features scenes with high symbolic value, celebrating the love between the prince and the noblewoman Bianca Pellegrini, as well as the power of the Rossi family, highlighted by the numerous castles depicted in the background. The fresco cycle, likely created by Benedetto Bembo, dates to 1462. The room’s walls, originally adorned with painted and gilded terracotta tiles, were once richly decorated with gold leaf.

Alberto Pasini e il Castello di “Torchiara”

“Rocca di Torchiara, nel Parmigiano” – Alberto Pasini. Litografia

Before traveling to France and the Orient, Alberto Pasini was a student of the Parma-based engraver Paolo Toschi. During this period, he created one of his earliest landscape works: a series of thirty lithographs depicting the castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (1850–51). Among these drawings, alongside locations near Pasini’s birthplace, such as the Rocca of Busseto, the Castle of Torrechiara also appears, misnamed “Castello di Torchiara.”

This unusual misspelling actually reveals the castle’s historical roots. The hills surrounding the fortress were known since medieval times for olive cultivation, and the presses (torchi) used to produce oil lent their name to the area. The name evolved from Torcularia to Torclaria, then to Torchiara, Turris Clara, and finally Torrechiara.

Torrechiara al cinema

Ladyhawke, una scena del film del regista Richard Donner (1985).

Due to its imposing structure, preserved almost entirely intact over the centuries, the Castle of Torrechiara has become a popular setting for historical films and series. The 1985 cult fantasy film Ladyhawke, starring Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer, opens with a scene featuring the castle’s unmistakable silhouette against the rolling hills.

Oscar-winning director Bernardo Bertolucci (a native of this region) also used the castle as a setting for his 1981 drama Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man, starring Ugo Tognazzi. More recently, following the popularity of fantasy and historical TV series like The Tudors and Game of Thrones, Torrechiara served as the backdrop for episodes of The Borgias.

Visit Torrechiara Castle and the Magnani-Rocca Foundation in One Day

The Castle of Torrechiara is located just a few kilometers from the Villa dei Capolavori of the Magnani-Rocca Foundation. Each year, thousands of visitors choose these two destinations for a day filled with history, fine art, and excellent cuisine.

The Ideal Itinerary: Begin your day with a morning visit to the Castle of Torrechiara, enjoy lunch at the restaurant of the Magnani-Rocca Foundation, explore the villa’s exhibitions and permanent collections in the afternoon, and take a leisurely stroll through the Romantic Park, accompanied by peacocks.

By presenting your Castle of Torrechiara ticket at the entrance to the Magnani-Rocca Foundation, you can enjoy a discounted admission of just €12. This ticket includes access to the permanent collection, the Romantic Park, and any ongoing temporary exhibitions.

Magnani-Rocca Foundation
Via Fondazione Magnani Rocca 4, Mamiano di Traversetolo (Parma).
Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (ticket office closes at 5:00 PM).

For group information and reservations:
Tel. +39 0521 848327 / 848148
Email: [email protected]

Restaurant and Café
Located in the museum courtyard.
Tel. +39 0521 848135

Photos: Luigi Filice