NIGEL'S RAMBLES: Rocca di Sala Baganza

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Rocca di Sala Baganza

Sunday the weather was rotten as it has been for the past couple of weekends, so I decided to visit one of the lesser known castles in the Province of Parma.

Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

The Rocca Sanvitale in Sala Baganza is just a few kilometres west of the more famous Torrechiara and I was not sure whether it was worth a visit or not. The reviews on Tripadvisor were extremely contradictory, but I was not in the mood for a lot of driving so I decided to give it a try.

Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

The Rocca suffered badly during an earthquake in 2008 and the first impression when one arrives is that of contrasting cure and degradation. Especially as one enterers.

Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

The tour started well, no guided tour whizzing you round the castle, I was free to wander and look around at my own pace. The castle is part owned by the “Comune” and another part is in private hands still. The publicly owned part has been nicely restored, whist the privately owned part has been left in disrepair after the earthquake and it is not possible to visit this part.

Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

The Rocca as we see it mostly dates from 1477 and was built by the Sanvitale family and remained with them until 1612 when the Duke of Parma beheaded most of the local Feudal Lords including the Sanvitale’s to take possession of their lands.

Sala dei Busti. Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

Sala di Enea. Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

The frescoed rooms date in the first part of the castle that one passes from the tenure of the Sanvitale’s . These frescoes or what remains of them were a nice surprise to me, especially the small “Camerino del Baglione” with its dainty depictions of birds flying on the painted ceiling. The Rocca is worth visiting just to see this fantastic little room.

Camerino del Baglione. Rocca di Sala Baganza, PR

Finally we arrive at the last part that one can visit, above the main entrance staircase. The frescoed ceiling has been restored, but the walls are still propped up and unrepaired. The style of the splendid “Sala d'Ercole” is very different to the preceding rooms and the statues on the landing add to the atmosphere.