Palazzo della Pilotta is a building complex named after the Basque pelota, the ball game played by Spanish soldiers in the courtyard of the Guazzatoio (the local watering trough).
The long porticoes and typical brick vaults outline the citadel of the Farnese family, built in 1580 and most recently restored in the year 1800.
Its large hallways were designed to connect a series of buildings including warehouses, stables, and barracks, as well as the numerous ducal residences and, in fact, the courtyard of the watering trough.
As well as being one of the locations of the city with most history, Palazzo Pilotta is also a city within the city!
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