Castel del Monte – the stone crown of Apulia

It is 50 km from Bari and visible from afar – 13^th century Castel del Monte, one of the highlights of a journey to Apulia, a visit to which history enthusiasts and fans of architectural masterpieces in particular might not want to miss out on.

This superlative piece of architecture was built by order of Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II, a man surrounded by an air of mystique, who might have used the Castel as a hunting lodge and for gatherings of a select few. It included living quarters and a magnificent throne hall, part of the castle was used for breeding and keeping falconry birds.

Conveniences of Castel del Monte included what you might call an 'advanced system of canals', which served to provide the toilets and washbasins with water from the cisterns and as a sort of ventilation and communication system between the rooms.

Castel del Monte was never used as a defensive fortress.

Up to the present there have been many theories on and possible explanations for the octagonal shape of the building, one being its similarity to the Dome of the Rock in  Jerusalem, another its similarity to the Palace Chapel of Charlemagne at Aachen Cathedral.  

Nowhere else has the geometric shape of the octagon been realized in such perfection – Castel del Monte remains outstanding.

Built by order of Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II 

During his reign, Frederick II 'adorned' southern Italy with a great number of magnificent buildings. He also shaped the country with his innovative spirit and his thirst for knowledge.

His reforms concerning law and order enabled his people to live a well-ordered life and turned Southern Italy into a bureaucratic state, the latter then becoming valid for Europe as a whole.

Later he moved his court from Palermo to Foggia in northern Apulia, which became the new capital of his empire.

Frederick astonished and amazed his contemporaries, who called him "Stupor mundi", wonder (marvel) of the world. He has gone down in history as a forward-looking, 'progressive' and unorthodox emperor, who did not even dread controversy with the papacy. 

Information about Castel del Monte (parking, admission fees, opening hours...)

From the accommodations we arrange for in the valley of the trulli, it takes you about 1 ½ hours by car to reach Castel del Monte.

Address: Strada Statale 170, 76123 Andria (attention: cars cannot drive all the way up to the castle).

Parking (located below the castle):

• Restaurant
• Toilets
• Shuttle bus to Castel del Monte, € 1 per person, runs every 10-15 minutes.
• Opening hours: from April to September 09.00 h - 20.00 h, from October to March: 09.00 h - 19.00 h, parking fee: € 5.

Opening hours Castel del Monte:

• Oct. 01st - March 31st: daily 09.00 h - 17.45 h (last entry 17.00 h)
• April 01st - Sept. 30th: daily 10.00 h - 18.45 h (last entry 18.00 h)
• Tours start every hour, on the hour; duration 45 min.; advance reservation required
• Closed: December 25th and January 01st

Admission Castel del Monte:

• Adults: € 7
• EU citizens between 18 and 25 years of age: € 2
• Free: disabled persons and accompanying person, children under 18 years of age

For detailed information and possible changes see the official website of Castel del Monte.

No responsibility taken for the correctness of the information.