Things to do in Province of Modena, Emilia-Romagna: The Best Castles

On a sandstone spur, this fortress stands over the Panaro valley. Documented back to 1178, it is one of the most interesting examples of fortification architecture in Emilia. In the fourteenth century it belonged to the Este family of Ferrara, but in 1401 they donated it to the Uguccione Contrari family who turned it into a refined mansion. In 1577, the Fortress was handed over to the Boncompagni family. Purchased by the Cassa di Risparmio di Vignola bank in 1965, it was handed over to the Vignola Foundation in 1998. The massive quadrilateral structure spread over five floors, with three corner towers – Nonantola, Donne and Pennello – is encircled by projections for plunging defence, typical of the XV century. In the courtyard, the small fortress stands to the left and open the Contrari and Grassoni halls. Winter opening times. Week days: 9:00/12:00 – 14:30/18:00. 0/12:00 – 15:30/19:00Holidays: 10:30/13:00 – 15:30/19:00. Closed on Mondays. Free admission

The Castle, with the park inside, is the heart of Formigine’s territory. It is the icon of the community, the main venue of the collective memory, and it's also the town’s salon with numerous possibilities of enjoyment. The Tourist Information Point is aimed at welcoming visitors and is provided with a bookshop, where you may find information on the monument and on tourist itineraries in the province, in the district and in the Castles of Modena network, linking 17 fortified buildings. Inside the Castle, a restaurant and a wine-bar make the whole experience even more enjoyable. Here you may taste the local food specialties. While it used house the Town Council, the stronghold still holds an institutional role (Town Hall, wedding hall, meetings rooms). The prestigious halls of the Castle are rentable for meetings, convention and events. The Castle is also home to the Multimedia Archaeological Museum which stages the historical events through the installations of Studio Azzurro (Milan).