Selva Smeralda Castle is a medieval manor house located in the small village of Selva Smeralda, part of the municipality of Terenzo but near Neviano de' Rossi, a hamlet of Fornovo di Taro, in the province of Parma.

DESCRIPTION:
The castle stands isolated among cultivated land in a steep position, overlooking the Sporzana River valley.
Of the original 14th-century manor, the massive brick-clad keep remains almost completely intact, retaining its original corbels on three sides. Adjacent to the square-based tower are the annexed buildings of mixed stone and brick, partially modified over the centuries compared to the original structures and restored in the early 21st century; some rooms are used as storage for agricultural vehicles.

HISTORY:
The history of the manor, long unknown, was probably clarified only in 1964 by Giovanni Gonizzi, who identified the fortress of Niviano di Rosi, depicted in the fresco by Benedetto Bembo in the Golden Chamber of Torrechiara Castle, in the castle of Selva Smeralda;[2] the historian's interpretation, considered completely certain by all scholars for years, is however considered incorrect by archaeologist Silvia Cerocchi, who, based on some findings, believes it more likely that the castle of Neviano was located in the center of the town itself.
In the 13th century, the village, castle, and chapel of Neviano de' Rossi, known at the time as Nivianus Draconorum, although dependent on the parish church of San Vitale Baganza, belonged to the Draghi family.
At an unspecified time, the Rossi family took over; In 1409, Ottobuono de' Terzi laid siege to the castle, forcing the brothers Pietro and Giacomo de' Rossi to sell him the castle of Carona, his brother Giovanni the castles of Tiorre and Castrignano, and his third brother Giacomo the castles of Basilicanova and Mamiano in exchange for peace. Only in 1424 did Pietro de' Rossi obtain from the Duke of Milan Filippo Maria Visconti the restitution of the territories ceded to the Terzi.
In 1464, Pier Maria II de' Rossi left Neviano de'Rossi in his will to his son Guido, along with the fiefdoms of Felino, San Secondo, Bardone, Carona, Miano, Segalara, Roccalanzona, Sant'Andrea, and Taro. However, likely upon the death of the condottiero during the war of the Reds, the castle was acquired by Colonel Lorenzo Smeraldi of Parma.
In 1552, during the war of Parma, the castle and the nearby village were sacked by imperial troops led by Ferrante I Gonzaga, who captured Giovanni Smeraldi, an ally of the Farnese, and imprisoned him in the castle of Tizzano Val Parma; Giovanni managed to escape but was arrested again and executed.
The family subsequently retreated to Parma, abandoning the fortress; towards the end of the 17th century, the lineage died out in the Tarasconi family, giving rise to the Tarasconi Smeraldi counts, who retained possession of Selva Smeralda until the abolition of feudal rights sanctioned by Napoleon in 1805.
Subsequently, the castle was purchased first by the Folli family and later by the Hungarian Orbàn family. Completely restored, it was converted into a farmhouse, later closed, and used primarily as a summer residence.

SOURCE:
it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castello_di_Selva_Smeralda

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 450 m

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Location: Fornovo Di Taro, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

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1. Selva Smeralda Castle – Sweet Views loop from Vallezza

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