Torrechiara Castle - The Golden Bedchamber: the southern lunette

Torrechiara Castle is a 15th-century castle near Langhirano, in the province of Parma, northern Italy. It sits atop a terraced hill south of the city of Parma, in a strategic position overlooking the Parma (river) in the valley below. The castle was built between 1448 and 1460 by Pier Maria II de' Rossi, the fourth count of San Secondo, for two purposes: as a defensive fortification and as a noble residence for de Rossi's beloved long-time mistress, Bianca Pellegrini d'Arluno. Bianca was buried in Torrechiara after her death, around 1480. Pier Maria retired to Torrechiara in 1482, where he died later that year. They were both buried in the castle, in the Oratory of San Nicomede in the north-east tower. The interior features numerous rooms decorated with fantastic, grotesque or naturalistic elements.
On the first floor, together with the Salone dei Giocolieri ("Jugglers Hall"), is the Camera d'Oro ("Golden Bedchamber"), one of the most famous examples of bedchamber artistic decoration in Italy. The fresco cycle in the lunettes portrays Bianca Pellegrini running through her and Rossi's lands, searching for her lover: the paintings are attributed to Benedetto Bembo.
Scenes of the 1985 film Ladyhawke were shot at the castle.
Read less