Franco Maria Ricci Editore is proud to announce the publication of its new volume, VIGNANELLO. The Castle, Its Land, Its History, Its Gardens, curated by Alberta Campitelli with contributions from Sofia Varoli Piazza, Elisa Fochetti, and Giorgio Monari.
Vignanello, a hill town in the Lazio region of central Italy, is home to the Ruspoli Castle, a remarkable example of a medieval fortress transformed into a noble residence and surrounded by some of Italy’s best-preserved gardens. The castle stands at the heart of Vignanello’s historic center, a compact, monumental presence. Founded in 1531 under the Farnese, it passed through the Orsini and Marescotti families before arriving in the hands of the Ruspoli family by the late 17th century, where it remains today.
Claudia Ruspoli, owner of the castle, reflects on the stewardship of this heritage: “We will continue, as we have done so far, to conserve the historical patrimony entrusted to us. It is a true mission born of a profound sense of responsibility toward our history. In today’s world, where the survival of humanity sometimes feels tenuous, the strength and awareness of our roots surpass any rationality.”
The castle is surrounded by exquisite gardens that have undergone careful restoration, as documented in the new volume. With the support of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) under the Parchi e Giardini program, the gardens have regained their original identity and are being made accessible to the community and visitors as part of a broader effort to valorize a historically significant patrimony through this publication. In spring, Franco Maria Ricci Editore will also present Tabiano, a volume dedicated to the Castello di Tabiano between Parma and Piacenza, recently restored under the same PNRR parks and gardens initiative.
The volume VIGNANELLO unfolds with a study of the territory and environment of the village in relation to the castle, highlighting the urban and architectural transformations that have made Vignanello a baroque center of remarkable beauty. The book then traces the village’s historical vicissitudes, architectural modifications, and dynastic transitions that led to the arrival of the Ruspoli family, focusing on the building of the ancient castrum (documented from the 12th century) up to the present structure of the castle.
The cast’s rich history includes notable figures connected to the residence, such as the composer Georg Friedrich Händel, who stayed at Vignanello in 1707, and Santa Giacinta Marescotti, born in the castle and closely tied to the garden and estate.
Special attention is given to the estate’s green spaces, from the secret garden to the formal garden, the latter created by Ottavia Orsini in the 17th century as a meeting point between the castle and the forest. Not to be overlooked is the parterre, divided into twelve regular compartments with quadrangular shapes, containing mixed hedges of various plants and bearing inscriptions with the initials of different inhabitants who lived in the palace; it became a model for Lazio gardens in the early 18th century and remains admired today.
The restoration has carefully interpreted the site’s layered history, respecting traditional techniques and materials to restore not only the garden’s formal integrity but also its historical function as a refined, scenographic centerpiece of the overall complex.
Vignanello is richly illustrated and will be available on francomariaricci.com and at the Bookshop of the Labyrinth of the Masone, Franco Maria Ricci’s landmark garden-library in Fontanellato.
For readers and visitors, this volume offers a detailed, beautifully produced record of a landscape where architecture, landscape, and dynastic history intertwine to tell the story of a remarkable Italian heritage.
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