Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
The Rocca di San Giorgio Piacentino is a fortification located in the center of the municipality of the same name in the province of Piacenza, not far from the castle. The building, a unique example in the Piacenza province, features a blend of castle-like elements with those of a stately home, which architect Carlo Perogalli described as "of rare balance." The square-based structure, with sides measuring 15 meters long, features an entrance on the northwest façade, located at a higher level than the adjacent building and featuring a drawbridge attached to a smaller masonry bridge. The exterior brick and stone walls are slightly sloped, particularly in the lower section, which originally overlooked the moat, which was later filled in. At the four corners of the complex, immediately below the roofline, are four round guardhouses resting on masonry corbels. According to a report drawn up in 1637, inside the building there was a spiral staircase with an iron balustrade and stone steps; The centrally located staircase provided access to all floors of the building, including those below ground. The staircase also provided access to the dome, which featured an octagonal lantern made of masonry and a window on each side. Originally, the dome's lantern and the corner guardhouses were all covered with copper and lead sheets. Inside, there are several reception rooms decorated with frescoes by the Milanese painter Felice Biella. Near the fortress, there were originally several buildings used for rural purposes, which Antonio Tomba renovated in 1830, creating barchesse (outbuildings) with a long portico, as well as two greenhouses located to the east and west of the complex. The English garden also dates back to the same period. The entrance to the complex features a pair of neo-Gothic turrets, which were placed on the terraces of the barchesse in 1890.
The Rocca di San Giorgio Piacentino is a fortification located in the center of the municipality of the same name in the province of Piacenza, not far from the castle. The building, a unique example in the Piacenza province, features a blend of castle-like elements with those of a stately home, which architect Carlo Perogalli described as "of rare balance." The square-based structure, with sides measuring 15 meters long, features an entrance on the northwest façade, located at a higher level than the adjacent building and featuring a drawbridge attached to a smaller masonry bridge. The exterior brick and stone walls are slightly sloped, particularly in the lower section, which originally overlooked the moat, which was later filled in. At the four corners of the complex, immediately below the roofline, are four round guardhouses resting on masonry corbels. According to a report drawn up in 1637, inside the building there was a spiral staircase with an iron balustrade and stone steps; The centrally located staircase provided access to all floors of the building, including those below ground. The staircase also provided access to the dome, which featured an octagonal lantern made of masonry and a window on each side. Originally, the dome's lantern and the corner guardhouses were all covered with copper and lead sheets. Inside, there are several reception rooms decorated with frescoes by the Milanese painter Felice Biella. Near the fortress, there were originally several buildings used for rural purposes, which Antonio Tomba renovated in 1830, creating barchesse (outbuildings) with a long portico, as well as two greenhouses located to the east and west of the complex. The English garden also dates back to the same period. The entrance to the complex features a pair of neo-Gothic turrets, which were placed on the terraces of the barchesse in 1890.
