Bardi

Bardi is a town in the province of Parma in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northeast Italy. It is famous for its castle, a formidable fortress that dominates the valley and the town, and is one of the most important stops in a hypothetical route among the castles of the Parma hills that includes Pellegrino Parmense, Compiano, Scipione, Varano de 'Melegari, Torrechiara, and Corniglio.

History
The name of the town is traced back to the Lombard bard (fortified place). Bardi was fortified for the first time by the Lombards fighting with the Byzantines. Having entered the orbit of the Curia of Piacenza, it then came into the possession of the Counts of Bardi, a kind of oligarchy of the first important Lombard families. In the 13th century, the Landi family appeared in Bardi's life and established their dominion over the town with Ubertino, Count of Venafro.

A period of struggle followed. The castle was destroyed by the Pallavicinos in 1255; it was rebuilt and fortified. The Municipality of Piacenza ceded the dominion of the Val Ceno and Val Taro to the Landi, who saw the fortress conquered in 1270 and 1307. Until Gian Galeazzo Visconti in 1381 recognized the Landi lordship who had full autonomy from 1415. Conquered in 1429 by Filippo Maria Visconti, the castle from 1438 to 1448 was entrusted to the mercenary leader Niccolò Piccinino.

Returning to the Landi family, the family obtained the title of Marquis and the right to mint coins from Emperor Charles V in 1551. In 1682 Dario Landi ceded it to Ranuccio I Farnese, and from that moment it followed the events of the Duchy of Parma.

Get in
It is 53 km away from Fidenza, 61 km from Parma, 70 km from Piacenza, and 79 km from Chiavari.

By car

 * Highway A15: Fornovo di Taro motorway exit on the Cisa Parma - La Spezia motorway
 * Provincial Road 28 then Provincial road 28 Bardi - Fornovo

By train
Station in Fornovo or Borgotaro on the Parma - La Spezia line, served with stops for trains departing from Milan, Bologna, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno and Florence.

By bus
Bus line from Parma - TEP lines (timetables)

Get around
The historic centre of the town can be easily visited on foot. The car is for the surroundings.

See

 * River Ceno
 * Memorial Chapel of the Arondora Star