5 fabulous castles to visit in the Modena area

The Modena area offers a wide selection of fairytale castles that combine history, legend and a magical atmosphere. Here we have selected five of them, which you cannot miss for any reason in the world!

Palazzo dei Pio – Carpi

Palazzo dei Pio, commonly known as the Castle, is a majestic monumental complex (over 14,000 square metres) comprising fortresses, towers, courtyards and buildings built between the 14th and 17th centuries. It extends from east to west between Carpi’s two main squares, the ancient Piazza Re Astolfo and the Renaissance Piazza dei Martiri (one of the largest squares in Italy). It takes its name from the family of the same name, who lived there for about two centuries from 1300 onwards. It was Prince Alberto III Pio who transformed the medieval fortress into a magnificent Renaissance-style residence in the 16th century. It houses: the Palazzo Museum, dedicated to the art and history of the complex; the Museo della Città, which traces the history of Carpi; the Museo Monumento al Deportato, which recounts the phenomenon of deportation; and the Castello dei Ragazzi, a structure equipped for the activities of the youngest.

Castle of Formigine

The Castle of Formigine is the symbol of the community as well as the main place of collective memory. It was erected in the 13th century by the Municipality of Modena to counter the attacks of the rival Municipality of Reggio Emilia on the site where (in the 10th century) there was a small parish church dedicated to St Bartholomew. However, its current appearance dates back to the 15th century, at the time of the Pio seigniory, when it turned from a fortification into a castle-residence. Since 2007 it has housed the Archaeological Museum, which tells its story through multimedia and interactive installations by Studio Azzurro, an internationally renowned artistic research group. A restaurant and a wine bar, where you can taste local delicacies, make your stay in the castle even more enjoyable. It also hosts numerous music and theatre events.

Castle of Spezzano – Fiorano Modenese

The Castle of Spezzano is the most important military structure in the Fiorano Modenese area. It stands on top of a modest rise and is surrounded by a romantic park with a picnic area. Probably existing since the 11th century (although officially documented from the 13th), it was modified from the first half of the 16th century by the Pio di Savoia family, who transformed it into an elegant noble palace. Of particular note is the Renaissance porticoed courtyard and the Sala delle Vedute, frescoed around 1596 by Cesare Baglione, court painter to the Farnese lords of Parma, depicting the domains of Marco III Pio di Savoia and his wife Clelia Farnese. The pentagonal tower, where the prisons once stood, now houses the Municipal Vinegar Works, while the spaces on the first floor and the basement house the Ceramic Museum, which tells the story of ceramic production in the territory.

Fortress of Vignola

The Fortress of Vignola is one of the most interesting examples of fortified architecture in the entire region. The date of construction is uncertain, but it is presumed to have been erected in the years following the Carolingian age to defend the town from Hungarian invasions. It is the final product of many construction phases and above all those carried out first by the Grassoni and then by the Contrari, who transformed it from a stronghold into a sumptuous residential residence. Structured on five floors, it has a square plan with towers at the corners. Inside, the small Contrari Chapel stands out as an authentic jewel of late Gothic art in northern Italy. With its frescoes imbued with mysticism, it is a highly evocative setting. A small curiosity: in 1980 the Italian Post Office dedicated a 380 lire stamp to the fortress.

Castle of Montecuccolo – Pavullo nel Frignano

Perched on one of the hills surrounding Pavullo nel Frignano, the Castle of Montecuccolo (with its adjoining medieval village) is definitely worth a visit. The history of the castle proper begins at the time of Matilda of Canossa, when a family of her vassals built a tower and a first palace in the early 12th century. Then the Montecuccoli family, having emerged victorious from a centuries-long struggle with other local feudal lords, built the other parts during the 13th-16th centuries. Since 1961, the castle has belonged to the municipality, which has set up the CeM – Centro Museale Montecuccolo (Montecuccolo Museum Centre) with: the Museo Naturalistico del Frignano (Frignano Natural History Museum), which documents the history and fauna of the Frignano territory; ‘La Donazione’ by Raffaele Biolchini, a significant nucleus of sculptures, marbles, terracotta cartouches, wood, plaster casts, drawings and graphics; and ‘Il Paese Ritrovato’ (The Country Rediscovered) by Pavullo painter Gino Covili, a cycle of 10 paintings and 48 drawings.

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