CASTEL DEL MONTE OF ANDRIA AND CORATO, PROVINCE OF BARI, PUGLIA REGION

When the Emperor Frederick II built this castle near Bari in the 13th century, he imbued it with symbolic significance, as reflected in the location, the mathematical and astronomical precision of the layout and the perfectly regular shape. A unique piece of medieval military architecture, Castel del Monte is a successful blend of elements from classical antiquity, the Islamic Orient and north European Cistercian Gothic.

Castel del Monte, located in the municipality of Andria, rises on a rocky hill dominating the surrounding countryside of the Murgia region in southern Italy near the Adriatic Sea. A unique piece of medieval architecture, it was completed in 1240.

The perimeter of the property includes the castle, which rises solitarily on top of its hill, and an immense protected area around the castle that is subject to landscape protection and provides an effective buffer zone. Taken together, the two areas fully represent the exceptional nature of the site, some characteristics being monumental in type and in excellent state of preservation, while others are more percipient and, considered alongside the physical setting, ensure the overall integrity.

fonte unesco