Soragna fortress
Sara Mantovani June 6, 2012
Located west of the river Stirone, 26km far from Parma, Soragna is also known as the Lady of the Bassa, thanks to its long rich history.
When at the end of 11th century two noble families settled in the area, the village was actually split into Castellina, left to the Pallavicino family, and Soragna, ruled by the marquesses Lupi.
Among the most interesting spots in Soragna are the worth noting Sinagogue , the annexed Jewish Museum and the Museum Giovannino Guareschi hosted in the bell tower of Diolo.
Once a year Soragna hosts the national competion open to poets and writers Violetta di Soragna.
Built in 1361, the castle once belonging to the princes of the Meli Lupi family of Soragna appears as a squat square-cornered building with heavy crenellated towers at the corners with rustic ashlarwork and windows dating from the XVIII century by Angelo Rasori, who was the curator of the building’s restorations, which at that time also introduced a new wing to the existing building with the Poet Gallery and the Agency Office.
Like any other castle, Soragna fortress has its own ghost. In 1548 Cassandra Marinoni (Donna Cenerina) married Diofebo II Meli Lupi, marquis of Soragna. While her husband was far away, engaged at war by Ottavio and Alessandro Farnese side, she ran all alone their little feud.
There, she took in her sister Lucrezia, who had married in 1560 count Giulio Anguissola, a violent man who had squandered all his fortune and had tried to poison his wife. On the 18th of June 1573 Anguissola reached Lucrezia in Cremona with some armed men. Using a trick he entered her home, killed her and wounded Cassandra too, who was visiting her sister. The following day Cassandra was brought to Soragna, where she died. According to the Meli Lupi legends, her ghost, called Donna Cenerina (Ashen woman) because of her ash-coloured dresses, appears to announce the death of a member of the family.
