Highlights
Highlights
Walk through the parade halls of the Noble Floor amid gilded stuccoes, Rococo frescoes and marble floors: it is the splendour of the ducal court coming back to life.
Climb up to the Astronomical Observatory and admire the Compass Rose painted on the ceiling: the duke could check the wind without leaving the Reggia.
Then lose yourself in the French-style garden designed by the gardener of Versailles: endless avenues, geometric flower beds and the romantic little lake of the Island of Love.
From the Sanseverino to the Bourbons: centuries of splendour
In 1337 the fortified stronghold of Azzo da Correggio stood here. In 1500 the beautiful and cultivated Barbara Sanseverino transformed the fortress into a sumptuous Renaissance residence that hosted artists, writers and nobles.
The poet Torquato Tasso dedicated a famous sonnet to her praising her beauty. In 1612 Duke Ranuccio Farnese and his wife Margherita Violante of Savoy began major renovations.
Francesco Farnese established the court's summer residence here, and the Reggia, enriched by a vast garden, earned the nickname of "little Versailles".
The Noble Floor and the Astronomical Observatory
The visitor route includes the Noble Floor with the parade halls decorated with Rococo stuccoes, frescoes, polychrome marble floors and monumental fireplaces.
Petitot's Sala Grande is a neoclassical masterpiece with the original canvases of the period. The Apartment of Duke Ferdinand preserves decorations by Antonio Bresciani and Gaetano Ghidetti (1787-89).
The French garden and ALMA
The 11-hectare monumental garden, born in the 15th century in Italian style, was transformed into a French-style garden in the mid-18th century by François Anquetil, known as Delisle, the gardener of Versailles.
The three perspectival avenues seem to extend to infinity when observed from Petitot's grand staircase. Maria Luigia added the little lake with the "Island of Love" and expanded the botanical greenhouses.
The little Versailles of the Italian Food Valley
The Reggia di Colorno, nicknamed the Versailles of the Dukes of Parma, is a monumental complex of more than 400 rooms, courtyards and inner courts that was the summer residence of the Farnese, the Bourbons and Marie Louise of Austria. Surrounded by a magnificent French-style garden of 11 hectares designed by the gardener of Versailles, it is one of the most important examples of neoclassical and rococo architecture in Italy. Its history begins in the 14th century as a military stronghold of Azzo da Correggio, but it was Countess Barbara Sanseverino (1550-1612) who transformed it into a noble dwelling. The Bourbons in the 18th century enriched it with works of art and the French architect Ennemond Alexandre Petitot created the Sala Grande, the first example of Neoclassicism in Europe. Marie Louise deeply loved the place, transforming part of the garden into a romantic English wood. Today the Reggia hosts international temporary exhibitions and since 2004 has been the home of ALMA - the International School of Italian Cuisine founded by Gualtiero Marchesi, the most prestigious in Italy. In 2024 it joined the Association des Residences Royales Europeennes (ARRE), the exclusive club of European royal residences.
Related experiences
From the Sanseverino to the Bourbons: centuries of splendour
In 1337 the fortified stronghold of Azzo da Correggio stood here. In 1500 the beautiful and cultured Barbara Sanseverino transformed the fortress into a sumptuous Renaissance dwelling that hosted artists, writers and nobles. The poet Torquato Tasso dedicated her a famous sonnet praising her beauty. In 1612 Duke Ranuccio Farnese and his wife Margherita Violante of Savoy launched major renovations. Francesco Farnese made it the summer residence of the court and the Reggia, enriched by a vast garden, earned the nickname of 'little Versailles'. With the Bourbons (18th century) it reached its greatest splendour: Philip of Bourbon and his wife Louise Elisabeth (daughter of Louis XV of France) entrusted the architect Petitot with the neoclassical transformation.
The Piano Nobile and the Astronomical Observatory
The visitor route includes the Piano Nobile with its state rooms decorated with rococo stucco, frescoes, polychrome marble floors and monumental fireplaces. Petitot's Sala Grande is a neoclassical masterpiece with the original canvases of the period. The Apartment of Duke Ferdinand preserves decorations by Antonio Bresciani and Gaetano Ghidetti (1787-89). The jewel in the crown is the Astronomical Observatory, where the duke could read the direction of the wind without going outside: a rod protruded from the roof with a vane, while inside an arrow indicated the direction on the Compass Rose painted on the ceiling. A nearby room served as a library with the Allegory of Geography over the arches.
The French-style garden and ALMA
The monumental garden of 11 hectares, originally Italian-style in the 15th century, was transformed into a French-style garden in the mid-18th century by Francois Anquetil, known as Delisle, gardener of Versailles. The three perspective avenues seem to extend to infinity when viewed from Petitot's grand staircase. Marie Louise added the small lake with the 'Island of Love' and enhanced the botanical greenhouses. Since 2004 some halls have hosted ALMA - the International School of Italian Cuisine, founded by Gualtiero Marchesi and today directed by Andrea Sinigaglia. It is the most prestigious school in Italy for chefs and restaurant professionals, in the heart of the Food Valley. The garden is open all year round with free entry.