Castel del Monte Castle
Castel del Monte is a unique masterpiece of medieval fortification architecture, testifying to the power of the state. The castle, proudly perched on a hilltop, is clearly visible from afar. It was built in 1240 in Puglia, a region in Southern Italy. In the appearance of Castel del Monte intertwined elements of antiquity, Islamic East and Northern European Gothic. The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
General information
This castle may not have been built as a defensive structure. It was erected by order of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II Barbarossa on his return from the Crusade. The prototype of the castle could be the octagonal Mosque of Omar, which the emperor saw during the campaign, although he may have been inspired by Charlemagne’s chapel in Aachen Cathedral. At each of the eight corners of the castle stands an octagonal bastion – it may well be that this idea was suggested to the emperor by buildings he saw in the Middle East.
.Barbarossa lived in the castle for only a few years, he died in 1250. Soon after, the castle became a prison, then a refuge where plague victims were hidden, and after that it was abandoned. Today Castel del Monte has been restored and its image is featured on the reverse of the Italian one-cent coin.
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