First medieval fortress, then a magnificent noble residence, the Rocca de 'Rossi hosted one of the most famous families of Parma, the Rossi, who during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance was the protagonist of the highest political levels in Italy. Frescoes, paintings and tapestries of considerable artistic interest decorate the entire building.
Rocca dei Rossi di San Secondo History
Located in San Secondo, a few kilometers from Parma, the Rocca de 'Rossi was the first medieval fortress built on the territory, later becoming the residence of the Rossi, one of the most famous and influential families of Parma.
It was erected in 1385 by Bertrando de 'Rossi with the function of defending its domains and almost a century later Pier Maria de' Rossi dedicated himself in the enterprise of making the fortress a structure that served both as a fortress and an elegant residence. At the time of Troilo II de 'Rossi the residential destination became predominant, and Trollo invited the best artists of the time to paint all the rooms on the main floor: Bertoja, Baglione, Campo, Anselmi, even if the exact attribution of the respective works remains uncertain due to the loss of private archives during the seventeenth century.
In the 16th century, the complex underwent works at the keep and the façade was rebuilt by building it in front of the building. An eighteenth-century terrace then replaced the sixteenth-century loggia, whose shutters are still visible.
From the grand staircase you enter the Sala delle geste rossiniane, with the flight entirely decorated by the frescoes of Prospero Fontana and Cesare Baglione. On the walls we still find frescoes by Baglione, while other decorations are by Bertoja and Gerolamo Mirola. The remains of Putti attributed to Orazio Samacchini can be seen in the loggia and in the rooms facing it.