Castel del Monte

Built on the rocky hill of Andria, it dominates the countryside just 10 km from the Adriatic coast. We are talking about Castel del Monte, a unique masterpiece of medieval architecture, built-in 1240 by order of Emperor Frederick II. As the leader of modern humanism, the Germanic emperor brought together scholars from across the Mediterranean in his court, combining Eastern and Western traditions. Surrounding the area can be found olive groves and vineyards typical of the rural landscape of the Alta Murgia National Park. The castle’s unique design, an octagonal plan with octagonal towers at each corner, represents a quest for perfection. The internal features reflect oriental influences. The site is of exceptional universal value in its formal perfection and its harmonious fusion of cultural elements from Northern Europe, the Muslim world, and classical antiquity. In 1996, UNESCO recognized Castel del Monte as a World Heritage Site, because, as stated in the motivation, “it has an exceptional universal value for the perfection of its forms… a unique masterpiece of medieval architecture reflecting the humanism of its founder: Federico II of Swabia”. For further information, we recommend visiting the official website of the UNESCO World Heritage Center responsible for the registration of World Heritage sites.