Town of ancient origins of the province of Parma, nestled in the foothills of the Apennines, near the stream Baganza, Sala Baganza has an artistic and cultural history of great value, which is revealed in the magnificent works of art that, over the centuries, were commissioned by the several noble families, that succeeded in power.
The town's name reveals its clear Lombard origins: the term "sala", in fact, indicate the presence of a Germanic garrison.
Although the history of the village is linked to Rocca Sanvitale and the first settlement dates back to the Neolithic Ages. The area subsequently was under the control of Rome, as revealed by the discovery of a kiln for the production of amphorae dating from the II or III century A.D. The name is attested for the first time in a document of 995: at the time, it was already a noble mansion. Since 1141 the town submitted the control of different noble families, including the Sanvitale that characterize the history of Sala Baganza and the Rocca for about 350 years. In 1545 Girolamo Sanvitale allied with the Dukes of Parma, the Farnese. In 1612, after the conspiracy, hatched by feudal lords, against the Duke Ranuccio I Farnese, the territory of Sala Baganza passed to Camera Ducale.
Sites of Interest:
- the Rocca Sanvitale, which was built in 1461 by Stefano Sanvitale, undergoing profound transformations over the centuries, especially in the XVIII century, when some of the rooms, so well decorated, induced Maria Amalia of Austria, wife of Ferdinand de Bourbon, to settle here. Today the fortress has the appearance of a long parallelepiped bounded at the ends of the remains of two towers. The rooms, recently refurbished, feature precious XVI century frescoes and decorations, artworks of Orazio Samacchini, Bernardino Campi and Cesare Baglione;
- the Church of Talignano, a XII century Romanesque church dedicated to San Biagio, a monk of the Cistercian monastery of Rocchetta. It features a single large room with a vaulted ceiling and preserves inside frescos of the XVI and XIX centuries;
- the Castle of Segalari, situated on a natural terrace that dominates the valley with the presence of an adjacent XIII century chapel;
- the Regional Park of the Woods of Carrega, with the "Casino" of the Duchess Maria Amalia, from where it is possible to admire a spectacular view over the badlands and the Farnese aqueduct.