Castle del Monte. Castle of Castel del Monte. Octagonal mystery How to get to the Costa del Monte castle

Castel del Monte, which means “castle on the mountain” in Italian, is located in the province of Bari. Italian region Apulia. Sometimes the castle is called the “crown of Apulia”. This is one of the significant and most famous castle buildings from the reign of Emperor Frederick II. At the end of the 20th century, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The history of the castle's creation is shrouded in mystery. Built between 1240 and 1250, the “castle on the mountain” is the centerpiece of many legends and myths regarding the reasons for the construction of such an unusual structure, which are still unknown.

The twenty-five-meter walls of the castle form a regular octagon, in each corner of which there is a tower that is exactly one meter higher than the walls. Interestingly, the towers also have the shape of a regular octagon, and the central portal of the building is directed strictly to the east.

Unlike protective and defensive structures those times, in Castel del Monte there is no artificial moat, embankment or suspension bridge, and the spiral staircases inside the castle are twisted not to the right, as is customary in all buildings of this type, but to the left, by analogy with nature, which twists everything exactly like that, be it a snail shell or a funnel in a pond. The windows in the towers are located in such a way that the rays of the Sun, passing through them, turn the castle into a huge sundial, calendar or some other astronomical instrument, the purpose of which remains a mystery today.

Those. The castle on the mountain was built in the 13th century by Emperor Frederick II.
This is one of the most mysterious castles a world full of secrets and symbols.
The church of Santa Maria del Monte once stood here, of which not a trace remains. In 1240, Frederick II ordered the construction of a castle on this hill. The Emperor died in 1250, i.e. Only 10 years were allotted for the construction of the grandiose castle.
It is unknown who the architect was, according to whose design the massive structure was erected, and its purpose is also unknown.
Frederick II was on friendly terms with the Teutonic Grand Master Hermann von Salz. Some literary sources say that the emperor himself reached the highest circles of initiation and even presided over the “round table” in 1228, where representatives of all knightly orders, both Christian and Muslim, gathered.
The construction of the castle was clearly not without the influence of the Templars and is a philosophical construction, a material embodiment of mathematical, astronomical and esoteric knowledge.
The castle has a clear connection with the number 8.
The plan is octagonal, located on two floors.

Castel del Monte. Apulia.

The octagon is a symbolic figure, a transitional state between the square – a symbol of the earth and the circle – a symbol of the sky.
The corners of the octagon are surrounded by turrets, also with eight sides, similar to those built by the Templars.
The eight trapezoidal rooms on the first floor are identical to the eight rooms on the second floor; spiral staircases rotate counterclockwise in the turrets (although in other buildings of the time all staircases were built clockwise).

Castel del Monte. Apulia.

Almost all rooms have connecting doors and create the impression of an endless labyrinth.
The castle has no bedrooms, no living rooms, no kitchen, no servants' quarters.

Castel del Monte. Apulia.

In the courtyard there was an octagonal fountain or pool carved from a single piece of marble. According to the plan, the fountain symbolized the Holy Grail and served for the “Tears of the Lord” ritual, i.e. the rite of “baptism in wisdom” practiced by the Templars. Under the fountain there was a huge cistern for collecting rainwater, and it also received water from five other cisterns located under five of the eight towers. The tanks were combined into a hydraulic system and used for sewage. This is one of the oldest examples of medieval sewerage that has survived to this day.
Interior details continue the theme of eights: 8 four-leaf flowers on the right cornice of the tympanum of the portal and 8 of the same on the left; 8 leaves on the capitals of all columns; 8 leaves on the vault key. In different rooms there are decorations made of 8 sunflower leaves, 8 acanthus leaves or fig leaves.
The number 8 is special. It is a symbol of infinity and a mediator between heaven and earth.
If you follow this version, then it is not a castle at all, but a temple of secret knowledge with the main entrance, similar to a church portal and turned east to meet the rising sun.
The position of the sun generally plays an important role in the design of the castle, so at noon on the day of the autumnal equinox, the walls of the courtyard cast a shadow exactly equal to the length of the courtyard, and on the days of the winter and summer solstices, ideal rectangles appear, outlining the walls of the castle so that the castle itself is exactly in the center .
The picture is completed by two lions sitting on columns at the entrance and looking at the horizon at the points where the sun rises on the summer and winter solstice.
If you don’t get carried away with the esoteric version, you can remember that Frederick II was a great fan of falconry and even wrote a book with his own illustrations dedicated to ornithology and bird hunting, the first scientific work in this area during the Middle Ages.
The Emperor loved to hunt in these places, and Castel del Monte could have been a hunting castle, which was also used for ceremonial events. For example, the wedding of his daughter Violanta with the Count of Caserta Riccardo Sanseverino.

Castel del Monte. Apulia.

It remained abandoned for many centuries. In 1876, the castle was bought by the state, it was restored and put in order. In 1996, it was included in the UNESCO list world heritage.
And now everyone can admire the castle, similar in shape to the crown in which Frederick II was crowned and located in an absolutely strategically disadvantageous position among open space.

About the castle

Castle del Monte (Castel del Monte) rises alone on the secluded hill of Western Murge in the desert area of ​​​​the city of Andria, province of Bari, at an altitude of 560 meters above sea level. Modern name The castle complex received only at the end of the 15th century; the original name has not been preserved. The castle Castel del Monte was named after the ancient settlement of the same name at the foot of the hill, on which was the small monastery of Santa Maria del Monte. Often local residents Andria call it the “Crown of Apulia”.

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

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

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

The courtyard of Castel del Monte is shaped like the building itself. The height of the structure on the inside of the courtyard is 20.5 meters, only the corner towers proudly jut into the sky. On the roof of the castle there is a neatly laid out paved terrace in the shape of a herringbone, which offers stunning panoramic views of the sea.

The façade of the central entrance faces the east. There is a second emergency entrance on the western wall. The building is built of polished limestone, and only the round columns, decorative window frames and facades are made of high-quality marble. Each of the external walls has two windows, the first has a single arch, the second has a double arch. A striking decoration of the northern side on the second floor is a single window with three arches. The interior apartments are shaped like a regular trapezoid. The castle has only 16 full rooms - eight on each floor. Despite the fact that all apartments have a similar shape, they differ in the location of the doors. The two large halls of the Castel del Monte have exits on both sides of the building and connect with neighboring halls, while they do not have an entrance to the courtyard. In addition to the passage rooms, the fortress also has end rooms with one door into the corridor. The most striking of these rooms is the Throne Room.

The corner towers serve as wardrobes, bathrooms and spiral staircases. Moreover, the arrangement of the Castel del Monte restrooms proves high level sanitary standards in a civilized society of the Middle Ages. All toilets were well ventilated through vents made in the walls and flushed with water from tanks installed on the roof. Interesting fact is that the stairs do not traditionally twist to the right, but to the left, similar to the physiology of nature, as, for example, a snail’s shell twists to the right.

There is a legend that the romantic and mysterious Castel del Monte has a secret eighteen-kilometer underground tunnel to the Ducale di Andria castle, and a four-kilometer passage to the Castello di Canosa fortress.

Story

The Castel del Monte castle was built by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who thought out a bright and original design for the fortress. Historians still argue about the timing of construction of the complex. According to some documents, it becomes clear that the decree of Frederick II was issued in 1237 and states the construction of a new castle in Santa Maria di Monte.

From other documents it appears that the king's decree dates back to 1240 and encouraged the restoration of the fortress, previously built by Lombard Robert Giscard and his son Roger Norman in 1073.

In any case, Castel del Monte acquired modern look under Frederick II and has similarities with other fortifications of this era, designed for protection against external enemies, such as Barletta, Bari, Brindisi, Cosenza, Gioia del Colle, etc.

In 1266, in a war for dominance over the territories of Sicily and Naples, Frederick's son Manfred was defeated and killed. This brought an end to the rule of the Swabian dynasty in Italy. The winner of the Battle of Benevento, Charles of Anjou, imprisoned Manfred's minor children - Friedrich, Heinrich and Enzo - in the castle, where they spent 33 years. After this, Castel del Monte was used from time to time for wedding ceremonies.

In 1459, the fortress came into the possession of the noble Italian family of Lord Ferrante of Aragon. And in 1656, the castle last served as a residence for noble families of Italy fleeing the plague, which was raging in the city of Andria. And after some time, Castel del Monte was empty and only in the 19th century it became the home of shepherds, local bandits and marauders. During this period, the castle was looted, precious marble materials were stripped from the walls, and the rich sculptures were sold.

In 1876, the fortification came into the possession of the noble Carafa family, which began its restoration and reconstruction.

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

Information for tourists

Tour time: ~30 min
Working hours:
March - September from 10.45 - 19.45. October - February 09.45 - 18.45, closed on Christmas and New Year.

Castel del Monte is rightly called the Crown of Apulia. Its octagonal shape, lack of corridors, framed by octagonal towers, octagonal courtyard and fountain all suggest a secret message. To whom and from whom? Why did the owner of the castle, the Holy Roman Emperor, wear on his right hand a ring decorated with a faceted emerald with eight gold petals?

Death of the Emperor

At the end of November 1250, during another hunt in the forests of his beloved Apulia, Frederick II suddenly felt strange weakness and pain in his stomach. Soon the pain and fever became unbearable and the emperor ordered to stop halfway, in an exquisite domus area(now Torremaggiore). This place became the last refuge for the emperor: dysentery slowly burned his weakened body and on December 13 the light went out in his eyes. There were rumors that the emperor was poisoned by his illegitimate son Manfred...

The emperor's castle took 10 years to build. Its geometrically intricate design is still a source of debate. Emperor Frederick II, as is known, being an educated man and philanthropist, created a mathematical school at court, in which the great Fibonacci took part.

However, such an unusual castle-palace for Apulia fits well into the symbolism of faith: the octagon is a symbol of resurrection and rebirth. Ancient religious temples often included architectural compositions in the form of a square (rectangular base), above which is a sphere or circle: the square is a symbol of the earthly, and the circle represents the sky. Between them there was sometimes a transitional figure of an octagon, which could symbolize the position of a person. Suffice it to recall the ancient basilicas and baptismal churches of the 4th century. (baptisteries), a similar form of which emphasized the importance of baptism as an act of union of man with God, temporal with eternal.

It is known that Frederick II, while in Jerusalem, was delighted with the view of the Dome of the Rock sanctuary on the Temple Mount. The Aachen Chapel, in which the emperor was crowned, also has an octagonal shape. Even adding the numbers of the emperor's death date (1250) gives the magic number 8. If this is not enough, then we can add that Frederick II wore an eight-pointed crown.

Castle or fortress?

The castle was faced with marble - a very unusual use of noble stone in defensive construction for those times. The castle was not protected by a moat or earthen rampart. There are no storage areas for ammunition, nothing to suggest that the defenders were preparing for a siege. Even the unwinding of spiral staircases did not comply with the rule of freedom of the right hand during defense. There are no loopholes, and the windows of the castle are too large, which could easily be used as a weak point if you wanted to set fire to the building from the outside. Such ostentatious frivolity can be taken as a message: Frederick II was not afraid of anyone, although he had many enemies.

There were a few members of the imperial retinue at Castel del Monte. The castle's location on the top of a hill made it possible to control the entire area. Only trusted and trusted persons could approach the castle, and the servants consisted not of local peasants and artisans, but of residents of the remote cities of Monopoli, Bitonto and Bitetto. This means that secret meetings could take place behind the castle walls, unusual religious rituals or alchemical experiments could be carried out.

Alchemy

It is quite possible that metal transformation experiments were carried out in the castle. The small fireplaces in the castle rooms were not suitable for receiving large numbers of guests and lavish banquets. But they were excellent for heating reagents, and the strategic position of the castle prevented outsiders from smelling the unusual burning smell. The niches could easily accommodate distillers and furnaces for heating.

In the castle at night, bold experiments were carried out on the transmutation of despicable metal into gold and a secret search for the fifth indestructible substance. The castle was quite suitable for experiments and occult practices. It is noteworthy that the emperor’s retinue included none other than Michele Scoto- astrologer, magician, fortuneteller - one of the theorists of alchemy. The treatises of this scientist brought good dividends to the emperor. Especially the one that describes the transformation of copper into silver.

The desire to improve matter, inherent in alchemists of the 13th - 17th centuries, gave rise to a wave of quackery and outright speculation. Very often these studies were carried out at the request of wealthy and enterprising sponsors.

Castel del Monte undoubtedly deserves the attention of not only specialists. According to numerous testimonies from tourists, when visiting the castle, a strange feeling of uneasiness arises. The walls radiate unusual energy and sometimes it seems that you are completely immersed in the distant world of the 13th century with all its passions, cruelty, naivety and quirks.

The castle is under UNESCO protection. Since 1996, it has become part of the historical sites protected by the World Heritage Fund.

How to get to Castel del Monte

The castle is located in the commune of Andria, province of Bari.

By car:

From the A 14 motorway Bologna - Taranto

From the A 16 motorway Bari - Naples, exit at Andria-Barletta S.S. 170.

Gallery of images of the Castel del Monte castle

The unique medieval Castel del Monte is the most famous of the many castles built in 13th century Italy by Frederick II. He was engaged in strengthening the Adriatic coast from invasion. The castle on the mountain began to be built at the beginning of the century, shortly after the emperor returned to the kingdom of Sicily from Germany. Frederick strengthened the northern coastal regions of Sicily. Traces of his reign can be traced on the Adriatic and the Ionian coast. In Apulia he built from scratch or restored fortresses on Mount Gargano, Monte Sant'Angelo, Fiorentino in Lucera, Melfi, Bari, Barletta, Gioia del Colle and other places. Some of them were in areas previously fortified by the Norman founders of the Kingdom of Sicily. In total, counting the islands of Sicily, Calabria and Apulia, Frederick built or restored about two dozen fortresses during his reign.

Unique medieval castle on the mountain is widely known outside of Italy due to its unique octagonal shape. This is one of the most mysterious buildings commissioned by Frederick II. The castle, where perhaps the emperor never lived, but where, paradoxically, the imagination depicts his presence, appears before the eye at an altitude of 540 meters above sea level. The A16 Bari-Canosa highway leads to Castel del Monte, from which you turn onto the Andria-Barletta highway after 18 kilometers and the main attraction of Puglia will appear before your eyes. The full name of the castle is Santa Maria del Monte. It was named after the church, an earlier structure now lost.

History of Castel del Monte

Construction of the castle began in 1240 and ended in 1249. There is not enough information about its original purpose. Most likely it was not conceived as a fortress. There are no typical defensive structures, such as ditches, drawbridges, or underground passages, which would allow us to confirm the hypothesis of a defensive purpose. However, the walls of both the external and internal perimeters are striking in their thickness of two and a half meters. There is some evidence that the castle was built on the site of an earlier Norman fortress. In any case, its location on the mountain, next to the Roman Via Trajan, leading from Benevento to Brindisi, filled a gap in the grand chain of castles and fortresses built by Frederick. And its location on the top of the only high hill on a huge flat plain undoubtedly gives it a dominant significance.

Architectural features of the castle

Architecturally, the castle is one of the first examples of the Gothic style in Apulia. This, however, is a special Gothic. The entire structure is octagonal. The castle is built in the shape of an octagon with a diagonal of 56 meters, with octagonal towers attached to each corner. The courtyard is also an octagon. The entrance is framed by a magnificent arched portal. The main gate, supported by lions, faces the sea to the east. Between the outer towers are Gothic windows framed by elegant pink marble columns with capitals. The window above the main entrance is wider than on the other sides and is framed with patterns. There are eight large rooms on each of the two floors of the castle. Columns of red marble with Corinthian capitals are located in the corners of the rooms, supporting vaulted ceilings decorated with tracery. Wide marble steps lead to the windows. In some places fragments of the original mosaic floor have been preserved.

The mystery of the shape of the castle's foundation is continuously interpreted by all sorts of esoteric, astrological and geometric theories. Numerology and magical-mystical symbolism of the “eight” in Castel del Monte haunt lovers of supernatural theories. The number 8 has secular, religious and mythological meanings.

Possible symbolism in the octagonal architecture of the castle:

• inverted infinity symbol;
• the unification of divine infinity and human mortality;
• element of the Fibonacci number sequence;
• symbol of harmony;
• number of divine justice;
• 8 angels carrying the arsh in Islam;
• number of compass directions;
• musical interval octave;
• Buddhist wheel of life with eight spokes dhamma chakra;
• magical celestial number;
• the great eight from Egyptian Ogdoad mythology;

Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen

The figure of the castle's founder is amazing. As the grandson of Frederick I Barbarossa, who drowned in 1190 during his third crusade in Palestine, the son of Henry VI and his wife Constance, Frederick became king of Sicily at the age of 4. He had plenty of time to master absolute monarchy on his way to rule the Holy Roman Empire. Having been officially married four times and having connections on the side, he left at least 20 descendants to the world. He was not a typical ruler: he spoke six languages ​​fluently, including Arabic, in which he read the Koran, showed an interest in medicine, understood philosophy, wrote poetry and revered science.

Frederick II (Holy Roman Emperor)

The Byzantines and Normans before him left magnificent ecclesiastical architecture in Apulia, and Frederick II added to this the cathedral of Altamura. However, his real weakness was the construction of castles, some of which were used as hunting lodges. He built about 200 fortresses in southern Italy and Sicily, some of which were so large that they looked more like palaces.

Abandoned without proper care since the eighteenth century, the castle was devastated, stripped of marble and furniture, and to top it all off, it served at various times as a refuge for shepherds, bandits and refugees. In 1876, without waiting for final destruction, the Italian government bought it. Restoration work was carried out in parallel with proper scientific research, from 1928 until the eighties of the last century. For its uniqueness, UNESCO included Castel del Monte in the list of World Heritage Sites in 1996. The castle was honored to be located on the Italian Euro-cent.

Lock operating mode

Open: from 9:00 to 18:30 - October 1 to March 31, from 10:15 to 19:45 - from April 1 to September 30. Closed to visitors from December 25 to May 2. Excursions cost 2.5 euros (for students) and 5 euros (for adults).