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Where is
What is it and where is the Pilotta of Parma
The Pilotta is a large complex of buildings now used as museums, surrounded by a beautiful contemporary garden and home to one of the oldest theaters, the Farnese Theater. Commissioned by Ranuccio Farnese to celebrate the dynasty, it was never finished. It would turn out to be a rather heterogeneous complex if it were not for the work of landscaping the gardens and stitching up the buildings implemented by architect Mario Botta, which have made Piazza della Pace a harmonious gathering place where it is nice to pause: water, trees, benches and, behind it, the brick bulk of the Palace.
Why it's special: the museums of the Pilotta
Today, it is organized around two large inner courtyards and houses many prestigious museums: the Archaeological Museum, the Palatina Library, the Bodoniano Museum, dedicated to printing, with memorabilia from the workshops of Bodoni, known for the typeface of the same name, the National Gallery, home to Parmigianino's marvelous Turkish Slave and numerous splendid works such as Leonardo's La scapigliata, Guercino's Susanna and the Vecchioni, and then the Carracci, Correggio, and many others.
Not to be missed: the Farnese Theater
What you really cannot miss is the extraordinary Teatro Farnese, designed by Aleotti. It was the court theater of the dukes of Parma and Piacenza, one of the greatest Baroque theaters in Europe, inspired by Palladio's Vicenza theater. Today it appears wooden, but it was once stuccoed and painted to look like marble. Its elongated, U-shaped shape made it suitable for representing even a naval battle, with which it was inaugurated, flooding the cavea. It was the first to have moving scenes. With its 14 tiers of tiers complemented by two rows of galleries once topped by statues, it could accommodate as many as 3,000 spectators. Its present appearance is due to reconstruction after the bombing suffered in 1944.
A bit of history
The theater was built in a very short time at Ranuccio's behest to lavishly celebrate the arrival of Cosimo Secondo de' Medici in Parma. The trip later did not take place, and the theater was inaugurated in 1628 to celebrate his son's wedding to Margherita de' Medici. The history of the palace, however, is rather troubled. It was to house the service buildings of the Ducal Palace, the actual residence of the Farnese family, and the first building was constructed in 1580. After years of inactivity, the project was resumed by Ranuccio in 1602 but stalled again a few years later and remained unfinished.
Curiosity: why it is called "the Pilotta"
The curious name of Pilotta comes from the game of pelota, which Spanish soldiers played in the courtyard of the Guazzatoio. The game consisted of hitting the ball with a closed fist hand or a wooden stick by throwing it against a wall. It soon became popular among young boys who played it in the streets and also among the nobility, who had special courts built for it.
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