Castle Castell del Monte in the south of Italy: description, history

On the planet there are many beautiful places that enjoy the increased attention of tourists. The south of Italy is known all over the world for its uncommon architecture, and the eastern region of Apulia is no exception. Many buildings are not only interesting for their original designs. Buildings, the destination of which remains for descendants a great mystery, become the subject of discussion of tourists and the object of many years of research by scientists.

Bari: sights of the Middle Ages

The capital of the region is famous for its religious monuments. The basilica of St. Nicholas with the myrrh-bearing relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the church of St. Sabina are the main sights of the ancient city. Around Bari are located medieval historical monuments, which come to admire the tourists from all corners of the world.

The most famous building is Castel del Monte, called the most mysterious structure of Europe. A regular octagon, literally impregnated with symbolism, bores the minds of specialists.

Conflicting personality of the owner of the castle

To understand the architectural features of the capital construction, it is necessary to get acquainted with its owner - a person that is ambiguous and provokes different feelings for historians.

The contradictory personality of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick II Hohenstaufen aroused many disputes and opinions. It is known that his brutality and the thirst for power knew no bounds. For the lack of religious feelings, he was excommunicated, which did not prevent him from winning the Crusade.

Returned to the Christian world of Jerusalem, the emperor was considered a very educated man. In a preserved ancient document describes the edict of Frederick II on the beginning of a large-scale construction of a castle near the monastery of Santa Maria del Monte. On a high hill, work began in early 1240, lasting about ten years.

The fate of the historical monument

It is believed that the emperor himself took part in the development of the grandiose project of Castel del Monte, but documented evidence of his residence in his brainchild was not found. After the death of the crowned person, the castle inherited the sons, but after a while it was abandoned and served as a shelter for the local shepherds. After repeated acts of vandalism in 1876, he was protected by the state.

There is a legend that the imperious emperor did not die in 1250, but simply disappeared from the whole world, planning to reform the church and establish peace on earth.

Riddles that do not yet have answers

Not all scientists agree with the date of the beginning of the construction of Castel del Monte. It is known about serious financial difficulties in 1239, because of which the construction of other fortresses in the empire was suspended. This is one of the first riddles over which experts are still working.

The second, concerning the true purpose of the monumental structure, torments all historian researchers. There is an official version, according to which the building was originally built as a residence for a falconer who hunted the emperor. However, the spiral staircases inside the lock are twisted to the left, counter-clockwise, in a completely different direction than was customary. In a huge room there is not even a hint of rooms for supplies, servants, stables, and the interior decoration is too luxurious for a hunting lodge.

Castle or something else?

Located on a high hill octagon, at the corners of which are the towers, does not look like other castles. It does not have an obligatory lifting bridge, a rampart and a moat, and the main entrance is made in the form of a portal of a Gothic temple facing east.

The architectural creation, which is a two-story structure with a flat roof, was introduced by UNESCO in the World Heritage List in 1999.

Symbolism of the eight

The octagonal plan of the building, located in the city of Bari, whose sights are known all over the world, made the building famous. Despite the fact that the building looks intimidating, it was never a defensive structure. Eight trapezium-shaped rooms on the ground floor, not designed to receive guests, and the same number of rooms on the second, corner turrets with eight facets full of surprises. The symbolic number repeats itself in architectural details a huge number of times.

In the courtyard once stood a marble basin, symbolizing the Holy Grail. Do not say that he had an octagonal shape. And under it were water tanks, combined in a special hydraulic system - the oldest drainage system of the Middle Ages.

The interior of Castel del Monte is surprising: all of its details continue the theme of the eight - a symbolic figure of infinity, considered a transition from earth to heaven.

Calendar and sundial

The main feature of the historical monument is its ability to show time. The first floor is a kind of calendar that counts down time. In each room on the second floor, direct sunlight penetrates twice a day throughout the year (for rooms on the ground floor, this is only true in the summer), turning the structure into a giant sundial.

At noon of the autumnal equinox, the massive walls of the castle cast a shadow, which is equal to the length of the patio. Gradually it lengthens, until it "accommodates" the whole structure in itself.

A place for occult rituals?

The kingdom of geometry, numerology, all kinds of secret signs, most likely served as a meeting place for communities that conducted occult ceremonies, or astronomical observatory, in which they were engaged in alchemy. The suite of Frederick II included the famous astrologer and magician Michele Scotto, whose name mentioned Dante in his work, describing the hell of sorcerers.

The construction of Castel del Monte was not without the influence of the Templars. The stone crown of Apulia, also called the mysterious masterpiece of world architecture, was the material embodiment of esoteric, astronomical and mathematical knowledge.

The Citadel of Secret Knowledge

The national monument is loved by tourists who admire the original stone work, which has no analogues. Travelers coming to the south of Italy certainly visit the legendary castle, which is minted by the government of the country on small coins. The majestic building is not in a hurry to give out all the secrets, but the more interesting it is to look into the citadel of secret knowledge.