Castle of Varano De Melegari

The earliest sources documenting the existence of the castle refer to the "Pallavicino Chronicle" of 1087, the year in which Uberto, grandson of Adalberto, inherited the structure. In fact, the Pallavicino family, one of the main aristocratic consortia in the territories of Parma and Piacenza, maintained control of the main communication routes between Tuscany, Emilia and Liguria for several centuries through an extensive network of towers, castles and fortresses. Over the centuries, the stronghold passed into the hands of powerful families, including the Visconti and Farnese families, Dukes of Parma and Piacenza. In 1828 the Grossardi family, particularly known for its Carbonara activity, took over, and in the early 1900s the Levacher family settled there. As of 2001, the castle is owned by the municipality of Varano De' Melegari.