The Labirinto della Masone
The largest labyrinth in existence
Labyrinth
The largest labyrinth in the world was created in Fontanellato from an idea of Franco Maria Ricci, publisher, designer, art collector and bibliophile, and a promise he made in 1977 to the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges, who had always been fascinated by the symbol of the labyrinth, also as a metaphor of the human condition.
There are labyrinths with Minotaurs. And gardens full of delights. Edens where wandering is wonderful, mental labyrinths where you can lose and then find yourself. The one built by Ricci is an elegant, enticing maze. A place of culture, extending over eight hectares (80,000 sq. metres) of land, designed by him with the collaboration of architects Pier Carlo Bontempi, who completed the surprising buildings, and Davide Dutto, who planned the geometry of the park.
The Bamboo Labyrinth
The labyrinth is an original place of many shapes, starting from the architecture of the whole project. Ricci took inspiration from the Roman shape, modifying it and introducing small traps- junctions and blind alleys which there weren’t in the strictly unicursal (single-path) Roman labyrinths. The perimeter is star-shaped, a form which appeard for the first time in Filarete’s Treatise on Architecture.
The Labirinto della Masone by Franco Maria Ricci is the largest labyrinth in existence, it is entirely made with bamboo plants (numbering around 200 thousand in total) between 30 centimetres and 15 metres tall. The path through it is over 3 kilometres in length.
The Art Collection
Eclectic and curious, the art collection fully reflects Franco Maria Ricci’s taste and spans five centuries of Art History, from the 16th to the 20th.
Beside the permanent collection the spaces house also temporary exhibitions.
Restaurant & Events
The Spigaroli Brothers are the award-winning local chefs who manage the eateries at Labirinto della Masone. These include The Bistro, the Café and the Store.
The Bistro at Labirinto della Masone
Perfect for a quality dinner, it is also open at lunchtime. It is run by the award-winning Massimo Spigaroli from the local area. It is designed for those wanting to enjoy a refined meal which reflects local tradition. The menu is based around Parma’s typical cuisine, as well as Italian dishes in general.
The Café at Labirinto della Masone
The café offers a fast service open to all, particularly suitable for younger people and those looking for a moment to relax during their visit.
The Store at Labirinto della Masone
Culatello, strolghino and all the Spigaroli deli meats, Parmigiano Reggiano, wines, the confectionery made at the Labyrinth and many other mouth-watering delicacies from our food-rich areas are available every day in our shop.
How to reach us
Labirinto della Masone is located at
Strada Masone 121
43012 Fontanellato, Parma
It is located less than 10 minutes by car from Fidenza (province of Parma) and 15 minutes from Parma
OPENING DAYS AND TIMES
Labirinto della Masone is open every day, including holidays. It is closed on Tuesdays and on the public holidays of 25 December and 1 January.
The opening time is from 10.30 am to 7 pm. The ticket office is open until 6pm.
The area of the Entrance Courtyard, housing the Bookshop and ticket office of the Labyrinth alongside the Bistro, Café and Store run by Spigaroli, is open to the public. The rest of the complex can only be visited by purchasing a one-day ticket.