Chiesi Gardens is the urban regeneration project breathing new life into the historic Chiesi industrial site on Via Palermo, Parma, Italy. It celebrates the enduring bond between Chiesi and the San Leonardo district—the place where our story began in 1935 and from which we grew into a global biopharmaceutical company.
The story of the Chiesi site on Via Palermo, Parma, began in 1955, when founder Giacomo Chiesi established the company’s first industrial-scale production plant—marking the start of a journey that would lead to a global biopharmaceutical group.
Located in the heart of San Leonardo district, the site expanded for decades to support Chiesi’s growth. From the late 1980s, most operations gradually moved to new facilities in Parma, leaving behind a densely built 10,000 square-meter area. This historic place still embodies Chiesi’s origins, its pioneering spirit, and the deep bond with the community where everything began.
San Leonardo is a multicultural district in northern Parma (Emilia-Romagna, Italy), shaped by a legacy of industrial energy. Developing from the second half of the 20th century along the Piacenza–Bologna railway line, it grew into a vibrant, densely populated community where different identities and stories converged.
In recent decades, as industries moved and urban spaces changed, parts of the neighborhood were left fragmented. Today, San Leonardo is experiencing a new season of renewal. Public and private initiatives—including Chiesi Gardens—are working to revitalize its urban fabric, reconnect communities, and unlock new opportunities for people and the territory.
San Leonardo has transformed from an industrial hub into a vibrant, densely populated neighborhood-diverse in identities yet limited in shared community spaces. With Chiesi Gardens, we chose to care for this district by reimagining our historic site and opening it to the city of Parma and beyond.
