Castello Malaspina di Terrarossa

Malaspina Castle of Terrarossa: Residential castle of the Malaspina family from the 16th century

The Terrarossa Castle is one of the largest Malaspinian buildings in Lunigiana, it is located in Terrarossa in the municipality of Licciana Nardi and occupies an area of 1,250 square meters with 43 rooms.
It was built in the second half of the 16th century on the initiative of the first Marquis of Terrarossa, Fabrizio Malaspina.

The settlement of medieval origin chosen by the Marquis was located right on the important Via Francigena, close to the confluence of the Civiglia and Magra rivers. The aim was to transform the old medieval fortification dating back to 1126, into a residence.
The enormous work was never finished as neither the marquis nor his successors were able to complete it. Architecturally it has a quadrilateral structure, similar to that of the Castle of Pontebosio, also built under the dominion of Fabrizio Malaspina.
From 1400 to 1600, Terrarossa underwent changes in the territorial boundaries between the different Malaspinian fiefdoms: Olivola, Villafranca, Bastia, Filattiera and Monti. In 1416 and 1463 it underwent two Genoese occupations. In 1581 the independent fiefdom of Terrarossa was established, handed over to the Marquis of Pontebosio: Fabrizio Malaspina, who, on the death of his only son, ceded the fiefdom to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He, in turn, gave it in 1628 to Bernabò Malaspina, Marquis of Filattiera.
Today Terrarossa Castle houses the tourist info point of the municipality of Licciana Nardi and the Albino Fontana Natural Library. Its rooms are used for conferences, cultural events and activities promoted by the municipality of Licciana Nardi and the Province of Massa-Carrara.
Every year it hosts the famous Jazz music concerts of the MutaMenti festival, organized by the Istituto Valorizzazione Castelli.