The Castle of Torrechiara rises next to the medieval town of the same name in Langhirano, in the province of Parma. On its rocky hill, it still has the powerful profile of a fortress and the elegance of an aristocratic home.

It was built in the 1400s by Count Pier Maria II de’ Rossi – a condottiero at the service of the Visconti and Sforza families in Milan, also known as The Magnificent – for his lover, Bianca Pellegrini. Today, the structure remains almost unchanged, with three rows of crenellated walls, four angular towers and patrol walkways.