Rocca di Novellara, Medieval fortress in Novellara, Italy

Rocca di Novellara is a stone fortress featuring four corner towers, two drawbridges, and a central courtyard enclosed by thick defensive walls. It now serves as the town hall and also contains a theater and museums open to the public.

The first defensive structure in Novellara was a tower built by the Lombard lord Gherardaccio Malapresa. In 1374 Guido Gonzaga succeeded his father Feltrino and began building the rocca, with four corner towers, two drawbridges and a ravelin. In the early 16th century Costanza da Correggio added a storey and turned it into a noble castle; at the end of the 17th century the main tower, the Campanone, was raised and fitted with bells and a clock.

The fortress houses Renaissance artworks that decorated the rooms of powerful families, including frescoes by painter Lelio Orsi that show the artistic tastes of that era. These works remain visible to visitors today and reveal how wealth and art were displayed in noble residences.

The building functions as administrative offices, so access is available primarily through guided tours that can be arranged in advance. Visitors should plan their visit ahead to ensure entry to the areas open to the public.

The first defensive structure on the site was a tower built by Gherardaccio Malapresa, a Lombard lord, before the Gonzaga castle existed. Feltrino Gonzaga, who received the fief in 1371, never set foot in it and died in poverty in Padua in 1374; his son Guido began the rocca.