Barletta Castle (Italy)

Norman period is the Castle of Barletta, whose name appears for the first time in a document dating back to 1202. It ', however, in 1240 the imperial decree that includes Barlettana structure between the castles of Giustizierato of Bari area, for Frederick II, who brought some changes, as evidenced by the lunettes of two windows on which is carved the Frederick's symbol par excellence, that of an eagle claws its prey, the animal emblem of strength and intellectual sharpness. Moreover, the Swabian presence is also felt in the organization within that castle of the Diet, held prior to departure for the sixth Crusade.

Starting from 1269 the control of the castle passed into the hands of Anjou, who brought forward by Emperor Charles I, and thanks to the directives architect Pierre d'Angicourt, the renovation of the building and of the control structure representation, in addition to construction of a chapel and defensive walls that surrounded the whole building, strengthening it from the military point of view. The same walls were then strengthened under the Aragonese, beginning in 1458, which, under the rule of Charles V, also occupied symmetrical setting of the castle, which took four corner bastions spear and was endowed with fire openings arranged along the curtains. Charles V was always to demand the strengthening of the castle most exposed to enemy attacks, one turned to the city, in a project that was entrusted to the military engineer Evangelista Menga. In addition, it dates from this period a dislocated plaque at the entrance of the castle, representing the shield of Emperor Charles V in 1537 and indicating the date, mistakenly captured as the date of the end of work on the building, which, however, much longer demanded. Afterwards there have been alterations especially related to the protection of the castle, but only recently have ended the restoration works started in 1970, which were allowed to use the castle as a cultural site.

Nowadays, in fact, the hotel offers a conference room, a ceremonial hall of the Municipality, spaces reserved for exhibitions and exhibition of tools and weapons of great historical value, a lapidarium, the headquarters of the Tourist Board, the Library Civic and the opportunity to showcase important paintings from the Museo Civico, all equipped with the appropriate equipment. To enter the castle you cross a stone bridge leading to the entrance. Through the doorway, then, you have access to different areas, such as the square courtyard, the ancient seat of the guard and the chapel in which the castle were buried. From the courtyard, you can hop on to various scales, with which you can reach the top floor or the stands.