Castel del Monte Reviews (Puglia, Italy)

Castel del Monte

Moscow, Moskva, Russia

September 24, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo Castle del Monte stands alone on a secluded hill in western Murge in the desert city of Andria Bari province, at an altitude of 560 meters above sea level. The modern name of the castle complex was only at the end of the XV century, the original ...Read more Castle del Monte stands alone on a secluded hill in western Murge in the desert city of Andria Bari province, at an altitude of 560 meters above sea level. The modern name of the castle complex was only at the end of the XV century, the original name has survived. Named Castle Castel del Monte was in honor of the eponymous ancient settlement at the foot of the hill on which there was a small convent of Santa Maria del Monte. Often, local residents of Andrija call it "the Crown of Puglia."

Historians believe that the Castel del Monte was conceived as a hunting residence, but the interior of the rooms was too richly decorated and luxuriously furnished for such purposes.

Castel del Monte - a two-story building with flat roof. Externally, the palace is a regular octagon with the length of each side equal to 16.5 meters.

At each corner stands a magnificent octagonal tower. Exactly in the center of height around the perimeter of the castle complex stretches a narrow ledge, which serves as a visual separation of floors. The upper cornice separates the base of the palace and is located at a height of 2 meters.

The inner courtyard of Castel del Monte corresponds to the outlines of the building. The height of the buildings from the inside of the courtyard is 20.5 meters, a corner towers proudly skyward stretch out. On the roof of the castle in the form of neatly lined with herringbone paved terrace, with stunning panoramic sea views.

The facade facing the main entrance on the east side. On the west wall is a second emergency entrance. The building is constructed of polished limestone and round columns, decorative frames of windows and facades are made from high quality marble. A striking decoration of the north side on the second floor is one single window with three arches. Internal apartments in form are correct trapezoid. The castle has 16 full rooms - eight on each floor. Despite the fact that all apartments have a similar shape, they differ in the location of doors. Two large halls Castel del Monte are located on both sides of the building and connected to adjacent rooms, and they have no input into the courtyard. In addition to the walk-through facilities are available in strength and limit the room with one door in the hallway. The most striking of these buildings is the Throne Room.

Corner towers serve as closets, bathrooms, spiral staircases. And the arrangement of latrines Castel del Monte proves the high level of hygiene standards in a civilized society of the Middle Ages. All toilets are well ventilated by means of slots, done in the walls and washed with water from the tanks installed on the roof. An interesting fact is that the ladder does not twist in the traditionally right-hand side and the left, like the physiology of nature, such as the twisted shell of a snail to the right.

Currently, the castle of Castel del Monte is a monument of medieval architecture and is open to everyone.

The cost of excursions (when buying a ticket on the spot): Adults - € 3;
Children under 18 years, visitors over 65 and disabled people (in the provision of identity cards) - free;
Students from 18 to 25 years - € 1,5.

The tour: ~ 30 min
March - September from 10.45 - 19.45. October - February 09.45 - 18.45, closed on Christmas and New Year. Close

From journal Italian medieval castles filled with mysticism.

Mysteries of the Castle del Monte

by Tolik

Tampa, Florida

August 13, 2004

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The Castle del Monte was a hunting residence of the Emperor Frederick II between 1229 and 1249. Some scholars believe that Federico drawn inspiration from a monument which fascinated him, the Umar mosque of Jerusalem, which was known as the Templum ...Read more

From journal Polignano - a town on the Adriatic Sea

Castel del Monte

by Tolik

Tampa, Florida

August 13, 2004

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Magnificent Castel del Monte, which UNESCO named a World Heritage site in 1996, was recently restored. The Castel del Monte (Castle on the Mountain) is unusual blend of elements from the Roman architecture, European Gothic and the Islamic Orient. ...Read more

From journal Polignano - a town on the Adriatic Sea

Touring Castel del Monte Part Two

by Tolik

Tampa, Florida

August 13, 2004

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Having reached the threshold of the upper floor note the vault; its six robust ribs set on shelves have amazing caryatids, sculptured in various positions. The eight rooms on the second floor are also a trapezoidal shape. Every facade, set ...Read more

From journal Polignano - a town on the Adriatic Sea

Touring Castel del Monte Part One

by Tolik

Tampa, Florida

August 13, 2004

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Best of IgoUgo We visited the famous castle during our stay at the Cala Corvino resort. The castle is one of the most unusual places in Southern Italy.You will notice the castle from the distance - Castel del Monte (1.5 hours from Bari, 2 hours from Monopoli or ...Read more We visited the famous castle during our stay at the Cala Corvino resort. The castle is one of the most unusual places in Southern Italy.You will notice the castle from the distance - Castel del Monte (1.5 hours from Bari, 2 hours from Monopoli or Polignano) dominates the landscape of the Murgia stony plateau raising lonely from a hill. From the lower parking lot at the foot of the hill you take a free shuttle to the upper lot, near the castle (plenty of souvenir stalls here). It takes two hours or so to explore the site. You enter the castle through the portal made up of crushed coral stones (see pictures attached). The portal looks like the Augustan Triumphal Arch. You will also notice the two lions (held up by columns), the pointed tympanum and the dripstone overhang. Now you are in the first hall at the first floor. This, like all the rooms of the castle, has a trapezoidal shape with a cross vault. Here you buy your tickets (somehow they offered free admission to all visitors during our visit) and turn right to the second room. The two rooms are in fact off from the six others in as much as they used to constitute a vestibule. The ground rooms are more or less identical in size and are trapezoidal in shape. Some rooms have one round window with one opening placed very high. You will find a shop in one of the room and a small museum in another (the only room which has some furniture and decorations, all other rooms in the castle are barren). Some of the rooms used to have very large fireplaces. The eight octagonal towers (25m tall) perform a primarily static role, dampening the so-called "thrust forces". They are also used as a means of access to the upper floor or to bathrooms and storehouses. To gain access to the staircases on the ground floor we must go through the big inner courtyard, octagonal too (enclosed by the towers). Here there are three doors elegantly decorated. Three rooms have staircases. Through a steep spiral staircase one can go to the second floor. Going up, you will relish the cupola, a work of art attributed to Niccoló Pisano. Close

From journal Polignano - a town on the Adriatic Sea

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