Soragna Tarasconi Palace
Palazzo Tarasconi is a Renaissance nobleman’s palace on Strada Farini in central Parma, built from the 1580s onwards for the brothers Scipione and Alessandro Tarasconi and expanded in the 17th century under the direction of architect Giovanni Battista Magnani. The palace is organised around a rectangular courtyard with Doric porticos, and its noble floor retains coffered ceilings with Renaissance frescoes attributed to Cesare Baglione. In 1857 the building passed by bequest to the Meli Lupi di Soragna family, whose name the palace still carries alongside the original Tarasconi.
At a glance
- Type
- Aristocratic palace (palazzo nobiliare)
- Period
- Late 16th century (c. 1580–1590s); expanded early 17th century
- Style
- Renaissance; brick facade with classical courtyard
- Location
- Strada Farini 37, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
- Coordinates
- 44.7986° N, 10.3270° E
- Architects
- Giovanni Francesco Testa (original design); Giovanni Battista Magnani (17th-century expansion)
Overview
Palazzo Tarasconi stands on Strada Farini, one of Parma’s principal streets, and is one of the finest late-Renaissance residential buildings in the city. Its brick facade and elegant internal courtyard are characteristic of Emilian noble architecture from the period of Farnese rule. The palace has served multiple civic functions over the centuries and today, following restoration begun in 2014, it is being returned to full use as a cultural and residential venue.
History
The palace was commissioned in the 1580s–1590s by the Tarasconi brothers on a site that incorporated existing 14th-century structures. The initial project was likely directed by architect Giovanni Francesco Testa. After Testa’s death, Giovanni Battista Magnani oversaw major expansion works from 1604, adding the western wing, the southern range, and — mid-17th century — an ornate helical staircase in the southwest corner of the courtyard. In 1857, the last Count Luigi Tarasconi bequeathed the palazzo to the Marquis Luigi Lupo Meli Lupi di Soragna, giving the building its double name. It housed the first headquarters of Parma’s savings bank from 1860. The Meli Lupi family sold the palace to entrepreneur Corrado Galloni in 2014, who initiated comprehensive restoration works.
What you see
The courtyard is the architectural heart of the palace: a rectangular space surrounded by elegant porticos on Doric columns, creating the rhythmic arcaded galleries typical of Emilian Renaissance design. The noble floor contains a coffered ceiling with Renaissance frescoes including depictions of Spring and grotesque ornamentation in the tradition of Raphael’s Vatican Logge. Additional painted decorations include Old Testament scenes, with decorative work attributed to the Parma-based painter Cesare Baglione and his workshop. The southwest corner spiral staircase added in the mid-17th century is particularly admired for its sinuous stone carving.
Cultural significance
Palazzo Tarasconi represents the ambitions of Parma’s mercantile and aristocratic class during the height of Farnese patronage, when the city rivalled the major Italian courts in artistic production. The frescoed interiors, though little known outside specialist circles, offer a coherent example of late-Mannerist decorative painting in the Po Valley tradition. Its recent restoration brings back into public awareness a building that shaped Parma’s urban identity for four centuries.
Practical information
- Address
- Strada Farini 37, 43121 Parma PR, Italy
- Access
- Restoration ongoing; check current access conditions with local tourism office
- Hours
- Check official website for current opening hours
Getting there
Palazzo Tarasconi is in the historic centre of Parma, approximately 10 minutes on foot from Parma railway station. Walk south along Via Garibaldi and continue onto Strada Farini. The historic centre is easily navigable on foot; bicycles can be hired at the station. Limited car parking is available in nearby public car parks.