Castello di Roccabianca

The Taro (Latin Tarus) is a river in Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy. It is a tributary of the Po and is 126 kilometres (78 mi) long. It flows almost entirely in the province of Parma, west of the city Parma. The Taro flows into the Po near Gramignazzo, a frazione of the comune of Sissa, north of Parma. The Val di Taro, or Taro valley, the drainage basin of the river, occupies an area of 2,026 square kilometres (782 sq mi). The principal affluents of the Taro are the Ceno, Recchio and Stirone; others are the Gotra and Tarodine. Both the Taro and the Ceno rise on Monte Penna, elevation 1,735 metres (5,692 ft), in the Apennine Mountains on the border between the provinces of Genoa and Parma. The river shows strong seasonal variability. In summer it can easily dry, while in rainy periods it can reach a discharge of 1,000 cubic metres per second (35,000 cu ft/s): this value can double on rare occasions, known Italian: piene centennali, "centennial floods", such as that of November 9, 1982. The Val di Taro was of strategic importance during the Middle Ages, as it was traversed by the Via Francigena, the pilgrim route and main connection between Rome and France in that era. About 20 kilometres (12 mi) of the river course between Fornovo di Taro and Ponte Taro constitutes the protected area of the Parco fluviale Regionale del Taro, the Taro regional natural park. The area of the park includes the river bed itself, with numerous islets of sand and gravel and wetland areas, and surrounding areas of woodland, scrub and cultivated soil; it has a wide variety of vegetation and fauna.Following the French conquest of Italy in the Napoleonic Wars, the river gave its name to a département, the Département du Taro.

The Stirone is a small river of Emilia-Romagna in north Italy, a left tributary of the Taro, which it joins shortly before the latter enters the Po. The sources of the river are on the slopes of Monte Mezzano and Monte Santa Cristina. Part of the course of the river forms the boundary between the provinces of Piacenza and Parma. It then forms the basis of the Parco Regionale Fluviale Stirone, which is especially known for its fossils, and reaches the town of Fidenza. The river joins the Taro at Fontanelle, a frazione of Roccabianca. According to tradition, Domninus of Fidenza was martyred on its banks in 304 AD.

Motta Baluffi (Cremunés: La Mòta) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of Milan and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Cremona. Motta Baluffi borders the following municipalities: Cella Dati, Cingia de' Botti, Roccabianca, San Daniele Po, Scandolara Ravara, Torricella del Pizzo.

San Genesio is a Romanesque architecture, Roman Catholic pieve, or rural parish church, on the road to Busseto, outside of San Secondo Parmense, province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. The church is known from documentation from 1084. It is cited as a pieve church by 1195. The present structure seems to have been completed over the centuries: the lower part of the apse derives from an early church of the 11th century. After a flood of the river Taro in the 13th-century, the church was reconstructed in the present layout with three semicircular apses and a nave divided on each side by seven arches. It appears the population of the area also moved after 1470, when the new town center of San Secondo was founded with a new parish church (Annunziata) by Pier Maria II de' Rossi. By 1787, the church was deconsecrated, and being used as a home and warehouse. The length of the nave was shortened and the new, present facade was built. In 1967–72, a restoration attempted to highlight the early romanesque elements.

Rocca dei Rossi is a castle located at piazza Mazzini #12 in the town of San Secondo Parmense, province of Parma, in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna. A different Rocca dei Rossi, also known as Castello di Roccabianca, is located in the town of Roccabianca.

San Secondo Parmense (Sansecondino: San Sgond or Sasgon; Parmigiano: San Zgónd) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Parma in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) northwest of Bologna and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) northwest of Parma. San Secondo Parmense borders the following municipalities: Fontanellato, Roccabianca, Sissa Trecasali, Soragna. The main sights are the Rocca dei Rossi castle and a Romanesque rural church, the Pieve di San Genesio, first documented in the 11th century.

Pieve d'Olmi (Cremunés: La Piéev) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Milan and about 9 kilometres (6 mi) southeast of Cremona. Pieve d'Olmi borders the following municipalities: Bonemerse, Malagnino, San Daniele Po, Sospiro, Stagno Lombardo, Polesine Zibello.

Stagno Lombardo (Cremunés: Stàgn) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Milan and about 8 kilometres (5 mi) southeast of Cremona. Stagno Lombardo borders the following municipalities: Bonemerse, Castelvetro Piacentino, Cremona, Gerre de' Caprioli, Pieve d'Olmi, Polesine Zibello, Villanova sull'Arda.

Malagnino (Cremunés: Malagnéen) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Milan and about 7 kilometres (4 mi) east of Cremona. Malagnino borders the following municipalities: Bonemerse, Cremona, Gadesco-Pieve Delmona, Pieve d'Olmi, Sospiro, Vescovato.

Bonemerse (Cremunés: Bunemérs) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Milan and about 4 kilometres (2 mi) southeast of Cremona. Bonemerse borders the following municipalities: Cremona, Malagnino, Pieve d'Olmi, Stagno Lombardo.

The Ducal Palace, also known as Reggia di Colorno, is an edifice in the territory of Colorno (province of Parma), Emilia Romagna, Italy. The palace we see today was refurbished by Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma in the early 18th century on the remains of a former castle.

The Battle of Colorno consisted of two battles, fought between 25 May and 5 June 1734, between Franco-Sardinian and Austrian (Habsburg) troops as part of the War of Polish Succession. Begun on 25 May 1734, the Imperial Austro-German armies conquered and occupied Colorno and its palace during the decisive attack of 1 June. During the second battle of 4-5 June the Franco-Piedmontese drove them out of Colorno again, forcing them to withdraw. These events were part of the Polish War of Succession and were the prelude of the larger Battle of San Pietro, which took place in the Valera Campaign, outside the walls of Parma, on 29 June 1734.