Should you be vacationing in Apulia, you simply must visit one of Apulia’s most famous sights – Castel del Monte near Bari, octagonal in shape and built in the 13th century by Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II.
Information about opening hours, admission fees, parking, etc. as well as the castle’s historical background is found here.
Should you be vacationing in Apulia, you simply must visit one of Apulia’s most famous sights – Castel del Monte near Bari, octagonal in shape and built in the 13th century by Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II.
Information about opening hours, admission fees, parking, etc. as well as the castle’s historical background is found here.
It is 50 km from Bari and visible from afar – 13th century Castel del Monte, one of the highlights of a journey to Apulia, a visit to which history enthusiasts and fans of architectural masterpieces in particular might not want to miss on.
This superlative piece of architecture was built by order of Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II, a man surrounded by an air of mystique, who might have used the Castel as a hunting lodge and for gatherings of a select few. It included living quarters and a magnificent throne hall, part of the castle was used for breeding and keeping falconry birds.
Conveniences of Castel del Monte included what you might call an 'advanced system of canals', which served to provide the toilets and washbasins with water from the cisterns and as a sort of ventilation and communication system between the rooms.
Castel del Monte was never used as a defensive fortress.
Up to the present there have been many theories on and possible explanations for the octagonal shape of the building, one being its similarity to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, another its similarity to the Palace Chapel of Charlemagne at Aachen Cathedral.
Nowhere else has the geometric shape of the octagon been realized in such perfection – Castel del Monte remains outstanding.
During his reign, Frederick II 'adorned' southern Italy with a great number of magnificent buildings. He also shaped the country with his innovative spirit and his thirst for knowledge.
His reforms concerning law and order enabled his people to live a well-ordered life and turned Southern Italy into a bureaucratic state, the latter then becoming valid for Europe as a whole.
Later he moved his court from Palermo to Foggia in northern Apulia, which became the new capital of his empire.
Frederick astonished and amazed his contemporaries, who called him „Stupor mundi“, wonder (marvel) of the world. He has gone down in history as a forward-looking, 'progressive' and unorthodox emperor, who did not even dread controversy with the papacy.
From the accommodations we arrange for in the valley of the trulli, it takes you about 1 ½ hours by car to reach Castel del Monte.
Address: Strada Statale 170, 76123 Andria (attention: cars cannot drive all the way up to the castle).
Parking (located below the castle):
Opening hours Castel del Monte:
Admission Castel del Monte:
For detailed information and possible changes see the official website of Castel del Monte.
No responsibility taken for the correctness of the information.
Contact us by email or phone (Mon - Fri 09:30 h - 17:00 h):
0049 941 / 56 76 46-0
