Highlights
Don't miss
Visit the Stanza di Griselda: the frescoes from 1460-65 recount Boccaccio's tale in two superimposed bands of rare late-Gothic beauty.
Explore the Hall of Honour, the vaulted kitchens and the underground cellar: perfectly preserved spaces that bring the life of a 15th-century court back to life.
Stay or dine at the Relais set in the historic halls: a unique experience in the Bassa Parmense, between art, gastronomy and Verdian atmospheres.
The 15th-century origins and Pier Maria de' Rossi
Construction of the Castle of Roccabianca began around 1450, at the same time as the works on the Castle of Torrechiara, at the wish of Count Pier Maria II de' Rossi.
The site, already fortified in the early Middle Ages, was chosen for its strategic position in the Bassa Parmense along the trade routes between Parma, Cremona and the Po.
The castle was dedicated to Bianca Pellegrini da Arluno, a Lombard gentlewoman loved by Pier Maria, and from her it takes its name (Bianca's stronghold, then Roccabianca).
The Stanza di Griselda and the late-Gothic frescoes
The artistic treasure of the castle is the Stanza di Griselda, Bianca Pellegrini's private bedchamber, decorated with an exceptional cycle of late-Gothic frescoes painted around 1460-65.
The cycle, attributed to Lombard masters close to the circle of Pisanello, illustrates the tale of Griselda, the last story of the tenth day of Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron: the story of the shepherdess who became a marchioness and was subjected by her husband Gualtieri to the cruellest of tests to prove her patience and faithfulness.
The castle today: Relais, events and the Verdian itinerary
Today the Castle of Roccabianca is privately owned and houses a charming Relais with rooms set within the historic spaces, a gourmet restaurant, halls for weddings and private events.
The owners regularly organise guided tours of the historic rooms, the Stanza di Griselda and the sentry walks, by reservation.
Roccabianca is an important stop on the Verdian itinerary: the village of Roncole Verdi and Busseto, the birthplaces of Giuseppe Verdi, are just a few kilometres away.
History and architecture of the Castle of Roccabianca
The Castle of Roccabianca is one of the few quadrangular plain-land castles still intact in the province of Parma. Built from around 1450 by the will of Count Pier Maria II de' Rossi, it is contemporary with the more famous Castle of Torrechiara, built by the same patron. The stronghold owes its name to Bianca Pellegrini da Arluno, lover and later wife of Pier Maria, to whom the castle was dedicated as a love gift. The complex, with a square plan, four corner towers and a powerful central keep, preserves inside one of the most important cycles of late-Gothic frescoes in northern Italy: the Stanza di Griselda, dedicated to the tenth tale of the tenth day of Boccaccio's Decameron. Today the castle is privately owned and houses a Relais and a hall for weddings and events, but is regularly open to the public for guided tours. Roccabianca is part of the Castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza circuit and of the Verdian itinerary in the Bassa, the homeland of Giuseppe Verdi.
Related experiences
Fifteenth-century origins and Pier Maria de' Rossi
Construction of the Castle of Roccabianca began around 1450, at the same time as the works on the Castle of Torrechiara, by the will of Count Pier Maria II de' Rossi. The site, already fortified in the early Middle Ages, was chosen for its strategic position in the Bassa Parmense along the trade routes between Parma, Cremona and the Po. The castle was dedicated to Bianca Pellegrini da Arluno, the Lombard noblewoman loved by Pier Maria, and takes its name from her (the rocca di Bianca, then Roccabianca). After the death of Pier Maria in 1482 and the exile of his heirs, the fortress passed through various owners: the Sforza, the Pallavicino, the Rangoni, the Meli Lupi of Soragna and finally, in the 19th century, it was purchased by private owners who still hold it. The castle suffered sieges and partial destructions during the wars between Italian duchies in the 16th and 17th centuries, but the defensive structure and main rooms have come down to us virtually intact.
The Stanza di Griselda and the late-Gothic frescoes
The artistic treasure of the castle is the Stanza di Griselda, the private bedchamber of Bianca Pellegrini, decorated with an exceptional cycle of late-Gothic frescoes created around 1460-65. The cycle, attributed to Lombard masters close to the circle of Pisanello, illustrates the tale of Griselda, the last of the tenth day of Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron: the story of the shepherdess who became a marquise and was put to the cruellest of trials by her husband Gualtieri to test her patience and fidelity. The scenes, arranged in two superimposed bands, recount in figurative terms Griselda's difficult love and feminine heroism. The choice of subject, intimate and personal, reveals the bond between Pier Maria and Bianca and the regard the patron felt for his beloved. The Stanza di Griselda is one of the most important secular cycles of the Italian fifteenth century and today part of the frescoes is preserved in the original at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, replaced on site by faithful copies. Other notable rooms are the Hall of Honour, the vaulted kitchens, the rooms of the piano nobile and the evocative underground cellar.
The castle today: Relais, events and the Verdian itinerary
Today the Castle of Roccabianca is privately owned and houses a charming Relais with rooms set within the historic spaces, gourmet restaurant and halls for weddings and private events. The owners regularly organise guided tours of the historic rooms, the Stanza di Griselda and the wall walks, by booking. Roccabianca is an important stop on the Verdian itinerary: the village of Roncole Verdi and Busseto, the homelands of Giuseppe Verdi, are only a few kilometres away. The landscape of the Bassa Parmense, with its mists and its embankments along the Po, is the same that inspired the Maestro and that one finds in the places sung by Giovannino Guareschi (the famous Don Camillo). The castle is part of the Castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza circuit and offers theatrical visits, medieval-themed dinners and historical re-enactments throughout the year.