rocca di vignola

This castle was not far from where I was staying and the entrance has been beautifully restored, there was a a large family there having some kind of Celebration but I did not go inside but I just had a quick look inside.Walked around the building and strolled down behind the castle and the was a stream of shops and approx. 200 metres away there was a river, great for picnics etc.

A massive fortification sitting on a rock on a river bend. Go inside, the restauration shows magnificent al frescos and the living quarters of a noble family. And you get to climb the ramparts and gaze over the valley and city below. The fortified city center, the streets around the actual castle, has the usual touristy mix of cafes and shops but are still intriguing. You should also visit the church.Closed for lunch. Check the website.

Well preserved structurally, it was nice to see the restoration efforts underway inside to expose the intricate frescoes on the walls (why anyone would whitewash or wall paper over is beyond my comprehension). It's always amazing to me to see how some of these old structures remain - the engineering and craftsmanship is astounding. To learn the story behind the structure and within the walls is also intriguing. Our guides did a great job of explaining the ownership history and the role the castle played through it's early days. Depending on how much exploration (and stair climbing) you want to do, you can get a real flavor of medieval fortifications and life. Another interesting aspect was the operators are having 'Jazz In The Castle' sessions. Jazz artists doing gigs in some of the rooms of the castle and leveraging the stone acoustics - a nice touch.

This castle in the centre of a small town called Vignola. It is well worth a visit, there is also a church close by which is very interesting. The town of Vignola has several nice clothes shops as well as a few outstanding Gelaterie.

The Rocca di Vignola is an incredible building. Although it's very well preserved / restored, the usual invasion of tourist friendly window dressing hasn't spoiled this magnificent building. It's a castle. There's not very much in it, but then it's a castle. Who's there to look at furniture, anyway?The frescoes are good, the small chapel is particularly beautiful (I think this was only recently restored). The views from the towers are wonderful, giving a panorama over Vignola and the surrounding countryside.The (free) guide book gives you lots of useful information on the visit (they looked to be available in a variety of languages, at least English & Italian, maybe others). If you're arriving by car, there is car parking opposite the castle. Wandering around the castle, through the various rooms and up some of the frightening staircases is a wonderful way to spend an hour or two. I would have happily paid to visit such a beautiful building, so the fact it is completely free is unbelievable.After a tiring walk up the towers, why not cool down with a nice glass of prosecco in one of the lovely cafes just a stone's throw from the castle entrance?

This is one of the most remarkable castles I have had the pleasure of visiting. It's a relatively small castle and it hasn't been ruined by touristic structures in the area. The castle is very empty, with very little to see inside. This being said, however, it was a true honour to explore this castle. We were completely alone in it when we went around and we really felt like we were the first people discovering the castle. The walk-ways around the higher part of the castle are so unique and special. If you have a car and the time to travel here, it is definitely worth half a days visit. I am so glad I spent the time to visit this beautiful historic structure.

The Rocca di Vignola external walls are very well preserved and give you a prompt idea about how the village and the valley looked like centuries ago. One hour was enough to visit it, last spring. Also the village (Vignola) is worth a visit, the historical centre is very pictoresque, and the local food fantastic. If you visit it in june, you will be in a position to taste the local cherries, which are famous all over Italy.

This is a very nice castle to visit. There are two guides that offer a free tour (offered by the bank that own the castle) that are very well prepared. The entrance is also free, and the castle is well restored. The village around the castle is very nice and contains another palace that worth a short visit.The historical information given during the free tour allow any person to get a grasp of what was the life in a renaissance castle.The fresco in the castle chapel are very interesting: their theme is the resurrection. The one of Christ but also the one of Maria. And you can see also the good one of the two thieves that is alive again. Maybe also the owner of the castle hoped in a second life! And the colors ... magnificent.

This medieval castle is one of the largest in the region. It was a military fortified castle, before, in the 14° century it was transformed into a residence of the local ruling family. The reason why this is a real must are the beautifully restored fresco’s. These are amongst the most important of the country. Access is free and if you have the courage to climb the tower you are reworded with a spectacular panorama.

On our visit to the charming village of Vignola the main rooms of the castle or “rocca” were not open to the public but we were fortunate to be accompanied by a very knowledgeable guide from a local association who took us on a guided tour of the famous spiral staircase designed by Jacopo Barozzi (1507-1573). This architect, known as "il Vignola", was later to design a number of important churches in Rome, and Palazzo Farnese at Caprarola, 60 km north of Rome. The remarkable thing about this staircase is that it is self-supporting, as it is built with no supporting pillars but all the weight is carried by the outer walls. In 1562 Barozzi published a treatise on architecture, "Regola delli cinque ordini d'architettura", that continued to be used until the eighteenth century. In his home town of Vignola they are so proud of their famous son that years ago the local “pasticceria” created a chocolate and coffee cake in his honour, the Torta Barozzi. The recipe is a well kept secret and the cake can only be bought in very few places in Italy, so after your visit to the castle you might want to buy one in a box to take home. Description of the castle or “rocca” of Vignola (24 km south-east of Modena)http://www.fondazionedivignola.it/rocca/doc/Depliant_ROCCA_GB.pdfMore details of the buildings designed by Jacopo Barozzihttp://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacopo_Barozzi_da_Vignola

Se passate nei pressi di Vignola, la visita è d'obbligo.Castello medioevale, ben conservato, con sale affrescate molto belle al piano terra e al piano primo.Bello il giardino di ingresso e la rocchetta laterale con campane e cannone d'epoca.Imperdibili la sala delle colombe e la sala dei leoni e dei leopardi.

E'uno dei castelli più belli della provincia di Modena, vicino pure a Bologna.Imponente all'esterno, si affaccia sul fiume che lo circonda.Nulla da dire sul servizio di guida gratuito al suo interno che vi condurrà lungo le sale affrescate del 500 (bellissime) alla scoperta della storia di questo splendido castello.Merita!

Per tutti quelli che passano da Vignola la visita al castello è una tappa obbligatoria e vi assicuro che merita veramente una sosta .E'tenuto molto bene,si può vistare gratuitamente ed è molto facile da trovare perché si trova nel centro storico del paese adiacente al ponte sul fiume Panaro .Ponte che divide Vignola da Savignano sul Panaro

Il Castello medioevale di Vignola (in costante manutenzione e aperture nuovi ambienti) è visitabile gratuitamente, con audioguida blutooth che si attiva da sola all'ingresso delle stanze e settori, per gran parte della struttura. Alla fine della visita si resta colpiti dalla precisione e per i dettagli delle informazioni ricevute. La visita dura da una a due ore secondo quanto ci si vuole soffermare nelle varie stanze.Passando da Vignola, penso, sia un vero peccato non visitare questo castello con testimonianze di vita vissuta dal medi evo fino a circa il 1950.Adiacente al castello si può visitare il Palazzo Barozzi (Il Vignola) con la famosa Scala a Chiocciola.

Bellissimo castello tenuto molto bene benché ci siano poche guide si può vagare liberamente all'interno dalla base fino alle torri con anche il rischio un po di perdersi date le numerosissime stanze, spettacolare la sala degli armati ove si preparavano per la battaglia, benché sia spoglia trasuda storia, da visitare.