Rocca Di Vignola
Rocca Di Vignola
4.5
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
About
On a sandstone spur, this fortress stands over the Panaro valley. Documented back to 1178, it is one of the most interesting examples of fortification architecture in Emilia. In the fourteenth century it belonged to the Este family of Ferrara, but in 1401 they donated it to the Uguccione Contrari family who turned it into a refined mansion. In 1577, the Fortress was handed over to the Boncompagni family. Purchased by the Cassa di Risparmio di Vignola bank in 1965, it was handed over to the Vignola Foundation in 1998. The massive quadrilateral structure spread over five floors, with three corner towers – Nonantola, Donne and Pennello – is encircled by projections for plunging defence, typical of the XV century. In the courtyard, the small fortress stands to the left and open the Contrari and Grassoni halls. Winter opening times. Week days: 9:00/12:00 – 14:30/18:00. 0/12:00 – 15:30/19:00Holidays: 10:30/13:00 – 15:30/19:00. Closed on Mondays. Free admission
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Rocca Di Vignola and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
142 within 5 kms
Attractions
86 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
627 reviews
Excellent
404
Very good
204
Average
13
Poor
3
Terrible
3
Bill A
Spring Lake, NJ587 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
I have now visited three fortresses named “La Rocca” in Emilia–Romagna and the one in Vignola is by far the best. The most fun part is climbing the maze of stairs up to the three towers. There is no one path through the many rooms in the fortress; so, you’re kind of on your own to figure out how to navigate your way through the fortress. But, what I really appreciated was the signage in each room (in both Italian and English) which provides a clear and concise description of the purpose of each room and of the artwork on the walls / ceilings. This is absolutely the number one attraction in Vignola and a good reason to include the city of Vignola in your itinerary.
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James G
Vasto, Italy10 contributions
June 2012 • Friends
This is one of the most remarkable castles I have had the pleasure of visiting. It's a relatively small castle and it hasn't been ruined by touristic structures in the area. The castle is very empty, with very little to see inside. This being said, however, it was a true honour to explore this castle. We were completely alone in it when we went around and we really felt like we were the first people discovering the castle.
The walk-ways around the higher part of the castle are so unique and special. If you have a car and the time to travel here, it is definitely worth half a days visit. I am so glad I spent the time to visit this beautiful historic structure.
The walk-ways around the higher part of the castle are so unique and special. If you have a car and the time to travel here, it is definitely worth half a days visit. I am so glad I spent the time to visit this beautiful historic structure.
Written 19 February 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WilliamJo
Bologna, Italy122 contributions
Nov 2011 • Couples
On our visit to the charming village of Vignola the main rooms of the castle or “rocca” were not open to the public but we were fortunate to be accompanied by a very knowledgeable guide from a local association who took us on a guided tour of the famous spiral staircase designed by Jacopo Barozzi (1507-1573). This architect, known as "il Vignola", was later to design a number of important churches in Rome, and Palazzo Farnese at Caprarola, 60 km north of Rome. The remarkable thing about this staircase is that it is self-supporting, as it is built with no supporting pillars but all the weight is carried by the outer walls. In 1562 Barozzi published a treatise on architecture, "Regola delli cinque ordini d'architettura", that continued to be used until the eighteenth century. In his home town of Vignola they are so proud of their famous son that years ago the local “pasticceria” created a chocolate and coffee cake in his honour, the Torta Barozzi. The recipe is a well kept secret and the cake can only be bought in very few places in Italy, so after your visit to the castle you might want to buy one in a box to take home.
Description of the castle or “rocca” of Vignola (24 km south-east of Modena)
http://www.fondazionedivignola.it/rocca/doc/Depliant_ROCCA_GB.pdf
More details of the buildings designed by Jacopo Barozzi
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacopo_Barozzi_da_Vignola
Description of the castle or “rocca” of Vignola (24 km south-east of Modena)
http://www.fondazionedivignola.it/rocca/doc/Depliant_ROCCA_GB.pdf
More details of the buildings designed by Jacopo Barozzi
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacopo_Barozzi_da_Vignola
Written 19 April 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SEG97113
Portland, OR30 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
This Sunday, before lunch, we were going through Vignola and decided to stop and visit Rocca di Vignola. What a treat! We only had 40 minutes (they closed @ 1:00 pm) so we couldn't see everything. The best part, after ticket purchase, we were met by a guide (a volunteer). Very well informed, he gave us an overview (I am an American, my friends are Italian and live in the Region). Before he started, my friends asked him to speak a bit slowly as I understood Italian quite well but not if he spoke really fast. He was great - lots of background information. As he was finishing, he led us to the 'crown jewel' .... the Spiral staircase. The Rocco is a replete with beautiful frescoes and rooms with different and unique themes but the Spiral Staircase stands out! Well worth the visit but do plan to stay longer. Unfortunately, visitors are only allowed on the first floor. Disappointed because I'm certain there are many more treasures to see.
Written 5 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James F
11 contributions
July 2018 • Solo
Simply one of the most stunning castles I have ever seen. A must-visit destination to anybody visiting Modena/Bologna area (just a 60 minute train/bus ride from both). They also organise free tours (in English) and the castle itself is free entry. A real Italian treasure!
Written 18 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LuziAnne68
Baton Rouge, LA93 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
We visited Rocca di Vignola in December and it was absolutely beautiful. According to my BF who is from Italy, it is better preserved than most castles. They still have beautiful original frescoes and have put together a very nice audio tour to guide you through the artwork and architecture. There are also spectacular views of the surrounding area, especially at sunset.
I would recommend visiting during the warmer times of the year though. Much of the castle isn't heated (or cooled), especially the towers with the great views, and my toes were numb by the time I was finished. Additionally, I wouldn't recommend this for anyone with small children or physically frail or disabled people as some of the stairs are so steep we went down backwards. Plus, the flooring is very uneven at times.
I would recommend visiting during the warmer times of the year though. Much of the castle isn't heated (or cooled), especially the towers with the great views, and my toes were numb by the time I was finished. Additionally, I wouldn't recommend this for anyone with small children or physically frail or disabled people as some of the stairs are so steep we went down backwards. Plus, the flooring is very uneven at times.
Written 9 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
setrevika
Stavanger, Norway11 contributions
July 2017
What a treat for young explorers! Lots of stairs to climb up to the towers and down into dungeons! Helpful and kind staff. PS steep stairs, can be a bit difficult for toddlers and elderly people. Nice view over Vignola and surroundings from the towers.
Written 22 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaretha M
26 contributions
Aug 2016
The Rocca di Vignola is an well preserved and restored medieval/renaissance castle in Vignola. You can freely visit the castle and its three towers, climbing up and down stairs and hallways. The most amazing feature, though, are the well preserved frescoes. Usually, preserved frescoes of that period - 15th century - are in churches or convents. Here, they are profane, showing the grandeur of their owners. Not to be missed! Entrance is free!
Written 22 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maya_shaag
Rehovot48 contributions
July 2015 • Friends
lovely preserved, exciting passages, staircases and terraces. free entrance. just remember the Italian timetable (close at 12:00)
Written 24 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evelynliu625
Castelfranco Emilia, Italy73 contributions
July 2015 • Couples
Came here in a weekday afternoon. Only saw a small group of people in the castle and a photo team shooting the scene. The castle is well preserved, you can see the real painting, sculpture with detail explained on the site. Maybe not a fancy castle worth to travel all the way to visit, but definitely a good place to spend a few hours walking around if you are already nearby.
Written 19 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
L'accesso è consentito ai cani?(il mio è 8kg) anticipatamente ringrazio chi risponderà
Written 30 October 2019
Anch'io non credo. Ma direi di telefonare.
Written 6 November 2019
C'è un parcheggio libero sotto la strada che passa davanti alla Rocca. Basta salire una scalinata ed attraversare.
Written 9 October 2019
Showing results 1-4 of 4
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing