Overview
Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club
About thirty kilometres from Piacenza, the village of Castell'Arquatostands on a hill largely made up of fossilised shells, which accumulated in the area when it was submerged by water long ago.
The interesting relics of this curious history can be admired in the Geological Museum, located in the former hospital of Santo Spirito, a starting point for those wishing to explore the village and learn more about the area.
On an urban level, two centres of development overlap: the first with the medieval districts of Borghetto and Monteguzzo found at the foot of the hill; the second, on the hill, is the historic centre, where the atmosphere is like it used to be, which has its centre in the monumental square where you can admire thePalazzo del Podestà, the Visconti Fortress and the Collegiate Church, symbols of the three powers (political, military and religious).
The Palazzo del Podestà, now the town hall, goes back to 1293, with the addition of a pentagonal tower in the early 14th century. The Rocca, an impressive defence structure, was built by the Municipality of Piacenza in 1342. The most prominent position in the square is reserved for the Collegiate Church, a Romanesque building consecrated in 1122, with a cloister from which you can access the Collegiate Museum, where sacred furnishings and objects, lapidary material and a picture gallery are on display.
