Palazzo della Pilotta

Pilotta palace, also called simply Pilotta, is a vast set of buildings located in historical center of Parma, between Piazzale della Pace and Lungoparma. The name comes from Basque pelota game, practiced by Spanish soldiers in Guazzatoio courtyard, originally said precisely of pelota. Built around 1580, during the last years of Ottavio Farnese Duchy, the building is built around the runner, a long straight arm on pillars, which united "Rocchetta Visconti" (of which you can see some traces on Lungoparma), to Ducal Palace. The yard, which was given to Simone Moschino, was built and designed by Ranuccio I Farnese in 1602 but stopped in 1611, leaving him in a state of incompleteness in which it is now. The set of buildings spread so in three courtyards, respectively called St. Peter Martyr (today Pilotta) of Guazzatoio and Racchetta. Pilotta were to be accommodated in a huge room, soon turned into Farnese Theatre, and several service areas.