Courtyard of the Rocchetta, Historic building in Parma, Italy
The Cour de la Rocchetta is a historic building in the center of Parma, standing close to the Palazzo della Pilotta and forming part of the city's medieval fortifications. Its stone walls still show the solid, defensive character it was built with centuries ago.
The Rocchetta was built in the 14th century under Bernabò Visconti, who wanted to strengthen the city's defenses. Over time it served as a prison, then as housing for court workers, and in the 19th century part of it was handed over to the Academy of Fine Arts.
In the 19th century, the Cour de la Rocchetta held paintings collected during the reign of Maria Luigia, duchess of Parma and wife of Napoleon, who was a strong supporter of the arts. Her collection mixes classical and romantic styles, with works by painters such as Francesco Scaramuzza and Giuseppe Molteni.
The Cour de la Rocchetta is not open every day and is best visited during special events or temporary exhibitions. Because it sits in the historic center, a visit pairs well with a walk around the area of the Palazzo della Pilotta nearby.
The Rocchetta was used for a time to store altarpieces by Correggio that had been removed from their churches, where scholars studied them rather than returning them. This made the building a temporary gathering point for some of the most studied works of Emilian painting.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
