The tourist discovers the Castle of Fontanellato covering medieval narrow streets where there are little shops under arcades with wooden architrave. The Castle, still surrounded by a large moat - according to ancient documents, called "peschiera" - appears with an aristocratic elegance which distinguishes it among many Castles in the area of Parma.
The Castle keeps its medieval charm because of its defensive military structure. The external part was built after 1386 and completed on a square plan at the first half of the XV^th century. The arched windows, on the three sides of the courtyard are Gothic style. All these elements evoke a world of coarse soldiers who were civilized and humanized into a first clumsy discovery of the potential pleasures of a court. Despite its military feel, the Castle does not call to mind dark tales, gory events, or rude passions. The building has the air of springtime, of early summer, youthful typical of the intellectual rebirth of the Humanistic period.