Torre de' Picenardi

A fiefdom and a noble and powerful family since the Middle Ages, rich and generous patronage, are the elements that make the Torre de 'Picenardi a village still full of charm.

POPULATION

1.801

DENSITY

105,2 inhabitants/sq. Km

AREA

17,12 sq. km

ELEVATION

37 m a.s.l.

PATRON SAINT

Sant'Ambrogio

Villa Sommi Picenardi and the Castle of San Lorenzo, along with farms and agricultural complexes of major historical and architectural value are the legacy of the historic presence of the noble Picenardi in the Cremona territory near Mantua.

Villa Sommi Picenardi was for centuries one of the main residences of the noble Cremonese family, which between the 18th and 19th centuries made it one of the most interesting architectural complexes in the area. The complex is still privately owned, today by the Cassani family.

The garden of the Villa is one of the earliest examples of English gardens in Italy; there are still Italian gardens and boulevards, statues, a temple of Priapus, the Doric temple dedicated to Castor and Pollux, as well as the ancient stables and the Caffehaus, designed by the architect Luigi Voghera in 1826.
The hamlet of San Lorenzo is built around the castle of San Lorenzo, mentioned in documents from the XV century onwards but of probably more ancient origin, embraced by the green of the great park that surrounds it.

The current appearance of the castle is the result of various building phases, the most important of which took place in Nineteenth century and gave it its current appearance. The impressive and striking façade, with various crenelated towers of great visual impact and a clear medieval appearance, are the most evocative elements of the castle.