Carpineti Castle has always been one of the foundational elements of Matilda of Canossa's fortified system. It was so important that when Matilda decided to host Pope Gregory VII in 1077, following the famous encounter at Canossa with Emperor Henry IV, she chose Carpineti, which—due to the presence of the pope—was emphatically called 'the new Rome'. In 1082, it hosted the Bishop of Lucca, St. Anselm, and subsequently Popes Urban II and Paschal II. In 1092, it hosted the assembly of bishops, prelates, and monks that decided to continue the war against Henry IV. After Matilda's death, her fiefdom broke apart, and Carpineti too had to endure numerous changes of ownership and destructions. Among its rulers stands out the personality of Domenico Amorotto—an adventurer, thief, and murderer, yet well-integrated into local political games—who ruled supreme for a long time in the Reggio Emilia mountains during the sixteenth century.
Accessibility Information: the facility is not fully accessible
