The images of this second chapter refer to the Teatro Farnese and the Galleria Nazionale.

Through a monumental painted wooden portal we enter the Teatro Farnese, a spectacular hall that still today echoes the splendor of the court life of the Farnese dukes.
On the first floor there is also the Galleria Nazionale which displays a large collection of works.
By way of a mere example, absolutely not exhaustive, we mention: Beato Angelico, Canaletto, Correggio, Guercino, Parmigianino, Tintoretto, Leonardo da Vinci...

A bit of history:
Teatro Farnese
In the Pilotta there was already a large hall used as an armory.
To celebrate the stay in Parma of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo II, the Duke of Parma and Piacenza Ranuccio I decided to build a theater.
In 1618 I entrusted Giovan Battista Aleotti, called the Argenta, the construction of the theater; the works ended in the autumn, but it was not inaugurated because an illness struck Cosimo II preventing him from traveling.
The first show took place in 1628 on the occasion of the wedding of Odoardo, Ranuccio I's son, with Margherita de’Medici.
Given the high stage costs, the theater was later used only eight times.
In 1943 it was almost destroyed by bombing; reconstructed it represents one of the most significant examples of seventeenth-century architecture.

Galleria Nazionale di Parma
Already in the Renaissance the Farnese had started a vast collection, almost all transferred to Naples by Charles of Bourbon in 1734.
Aware of the importance of art for the prestige of the Duchy, Philip I of Bourbon opens an academy of fine arts and establishes an art gallery and a scholarship for young artists.
Following various donations and acquisitions and the return of works from Naples and Caserta, the Parma Gallery began to be established in 1760.
During the French occupation many works were stolen and transported to Paris, but were fortunately recovered after the Vienna congress.
In order not to disperse some pieces of private collections, the duchess Marie Louise bought many works from various nobles, assigning them to the gallery.
In 1900 the collection was reorganized and divided by schools and chronology by the Quintavalle.
In the early 1970s, profound restructuring works began and were completed in 1991 with the complete reopening of the entire National Gallery complex.
In December 2018 was announced the reopening of a wing of approximately 1,960 sq yd with new works: the exhibition was inaugurated, but immediately closed for the public (see)

For more info:
pilotta: teatro-farnese
pilotta: galleria-nazionale
La Pilotta: a treasure chest - 1^ part
La Pilotta: a treasure chest - 3^ part