Updated, expanded and renewed second printing edition, edited by Antonella Fava and Francesca Maffini of the Castelli del Ducato Association with preface by President Orazio Zanardi Landi. For tourists it can be found in some online stores and in the book shops of the Castles of the Duchy, in some bookshops, and in selected Tourist Information Offices.
It is an extraordinary treasure chest of priceless treasures to discover, “Traveling among the Castles of the Duchy: stories, mysteries, curiosities and wonders among fortresses, fortresses, manors in Emilia and Lunigiana”: the second printing edition updated, expanded and renewed of the new agile and captivating guide created by the Castelli del Ducato Association with the curatorship and collaboration of Antonella Fava and Francesca Maffini, preface by the President of the circuit Orazio Zanardi Landi on materials provided by members and supporters of the cultural tourism network, who have made provision of archive documents, exclusive anecdotes, their research and a highly evocative photographic repertoire. The book enriched by the presentation of new manors and places of art, published by Grafiche Step Editrice of Parma, is an interesting and rich thematic journey through fortresses, fortresses, villages and towns of the Grand Duchy.
Among the new places mentioned or discussed in the book: Berceto with the remains of Rossiano’s castle, Parma with the Chamber of Saint Paul frescoed by Correggio, Rocca Valle di Castrignano, Palazzo Marchi in the historic center of Parma, the Castle of Riva and Ponte dell’Olio, Ducal Palace of Guastalla. The guide deals, in fact, specifically with those places that have become members and supporters of the Castelli del Ducato association over time.
Where to find the book – guide? For tourists it can be found in the book shops of the Castelli del Ducato, in some selected bookshops and Tourist Information Offices and in some online stores. The book will be presented during 2024 on special occasions in some municipalities in the area.
Info: [email protected] – www.castellidelducato.it
After a brief historical excursus, for each castle the following are highlighted: what can surprise the tourist, therefore a focus on what excites and strikes at first sight; a curious bond of the noble dynasty that lived in the manor with other important families, a sort of “family ties” in a nutshell; the character, the most curious or the most particular; the mysteries that cloak the stronghold; the secret rooms, those that cannot be visited and not yet open to the public precisely to reveal unpublished details of the historic homes where large families still live today or in the case of publicly owned castles, to be restored and reopened to visitors. Among the curiosities, even the strangest question from the tourist and the advice on the experience of living inside the castle have been included to make reading pleasant and captivating.
The President of the Castles of the Duchy Orazio Zanardi Landi: “It is a story that began centuries ago, that of castles, fortresses and fortresses that made Italy and Europe great. A history of important dynasties where illustrious men and women have always called to the courts and manors literati and men of science, philosophers and excellent chefs, extraordinary artists and brilliant musicians. That long history is still alive today, accessible to all thanks to the commitment and generosity of the owners of the strongholds who in 1999 joined together, in a patronage association, to give life to the Circuit of the Castles of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza, Guastalla and Pontremoli: a twenty-five-year network of architecture and art that today looks to Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and the whole of Italy as a tourist-cultural development of the product. By opening the historic homes to visits, events, experiences and promoting the entire territory, Castelli del Ducato weaves an intense choral story every day. Proud that Castelli del Ducato has already left its mark on Italian culture in recent decades, we invite you, page after page, to immerse yourself in a world of great beauty and authenticity.”
“It was an honor to coordinate and take care of the creation of the second edition of the publication, after the good response of 2019, with new manors and villages, proof of the territory’s ability to unite under the sign of the beauty of art and our history : the challenging objective was to combine in a single work – explain Francesca Maffini and Antonella Fava, curators for the Associazione Castelli del Ducato – a quick but interesting reading proposal, accompanied by quality and partly unpublished images, designed both for the inhabitants of the Emilia-Romagna area, in particular of the cities and provinces of Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia Massa, with Pontremoli and Lunigiana, because the book talks about these extraordinary places; both for tourists who will come to our area and find the complete guide to the Castelli del Ducato circuit, which has grown so much in recent years, while always maintaining great attention to the selection of art places online, to the soul and genius loci of the territory, to the uniqueness of the experiences proposed. It is a book that we would like to have in all homes, especially for the new generations, to make known and pass on an ancient yet contemporary world, style and love for the cultural identity that characterizes us”.
“We have chosen a synthetic narrative for communication that connects the past and the present – conclude Maffini and Fava – The story comes out of the book because the details, the words, the images seek the eyes and amazement of those who read and observes, an indispensable gateway – together with the passion for beauty – to be able to build knowledge and conscience. To put everyone in a position to become curious, imagine and decide to continue the journey from castle to castle.”
The director of the Castelli del Ducato circuit Maurizio Pavesi concludes: “The book therefore draws life from ancient history but becomes easy to read thanks to the notes of contemporaneity, given by the tourists – every year 600,000 visit the Castelli del Ducato – who in dialogue with the guides often poses fun and surprising questions.”
For those who wish to enter real Castle Experiences from the book “Travelling among the Castles of the Duchy: stories, mysteries, wonders” you can consult the website www.castellidelducato.it where in the Events area you can choose from over a thousand every year initiatives throughout the circuit and over 120 educational workshops for schools.
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