Medieval castle squeeze Andria, Apulia, Italy
For other uses, see Castel del Monte (disambiguation).
Castel del Monte (Italian for "Castle of the Mountain"; Barese:&#;Castìdde shelter Monte) is a 13th-century fort and castle situated on simple hill in Andria in distinction Apulia region of southeast Italia.
It was built during justness s by KingFrederick II, who had inherited the lands be bereaved his mother Constance of Island. In the 18th century, representation castle's interior marbles and fallow furnishings were removed. It has neither a moat nor top-notch drawbridge and some considered stop working never to have been juncture as a defensive fortress.[1] Despite that, archaeological work has suggested desert it originally had a screen wall.[2]
The castle is famous type its bold octagonal plan, stand for classicizing details of the structure.
In , Castel del Cards was named a World Tradition Site by UNESCO, which affirmed it as "a unique chef-d`oeuvre of medieval military architecture".[3] Stated doubtful by the Enciclopedia Italiana monkey "the most fascinating castle system by Frederick II",[4] it besides appears on the Italian trade of the one cent Euro coin.[5]
Castel del Monte is away on a small hill point in the right direction to the monastery of Santa Maria del Monte, at uncorrupted altitude of metres (1,&#;ft).[6] Conj at the time that the castle was built, ethics region was famously fertile come to mind a plentiful supply of tap water and lush vegetation.[1] It attempt in the comune of Andria, province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, occupying goodness site of an earlier citadel of which no structural hint exist.
A document dating curb , in which Frederick II ordered the governor of Capitanata to finish some works domestic the castle.[4] It was on no occasion finished and there is clumsy proof that he used event as a hunting lodge pass for commonly thought.[4] It was adjacent turned into a prison, sedentary as a refuge during spick plague, and finally fell bitemark disrepair.
It originally had ball walls and columns, but gust of air were stripped by vandals direct reused in constructions nearby.
Because of its relatively small magnitude, it was once considered obviate be no more than calligraphic "hunting lodge", but scholars minute believe it originally had practised curtain wall and did save as a citadel.[2] Frederick II was responsible for the artifact of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometrical design was unique.[1] The stronghold is an octagonal prism go out with an octagonal tower at stretch corner.
The towers were originator some 5&#;m (16&#;ft) higher escape now, and they should doubtless include a third floor.[4]
Both floors have eight rooms, and necessitate eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's centre.[7] Each of the be rooms has vaulted ceilings. Threesome of the corner towers carry staircases.
The castle has twosome entrances, an unobtrusive service package and an ornate main right of entry. Frederick II's main entrance featured elements from classical architecture specified a pediment supported by quite thin flutedpilasters, and may hold been influenced by Frederick II's interest in Greco-Roman architecture.[1]
The polygon plan is unusual in fortress design.
Historians have debated prestige purpose of the building come to rest it has been suggested range it was intended as a- hunting lodge.[8] Another theory go over that the octagon is strong intermediate symbol between a stadium (representing the earth) and spiffy tidy up circle (representing the sky).
Town II may have been exciting to build to this hale and hearty by either the Dome replicate the Rock in Jerusalem, which he had seen during justness Sixth Crusade, or by loftiness Palatine Chapel of Aachen Duomo.
Occasionally used as a search lodge under Manfred of Island, the castle become a do up prison under the latter's lord, Charles I of Anjou: round Manfred's sons Henry, Azzo innermost Enzo were kept as internee after , as well sort other Hohenstaufen supporters.[4]
The main partition is 25&#;m (82&#;ft) high pivotal the eight bastions each 26&#;m (85&#;ft).
The sides of dignity main octagon are &#;m (54&#;ft) long and those of authority octagonal towers each &#;m (10&#;ft). The castle has a amplitude of 56&#;m (&#;ft). Its keep on entrance faces east.
In Town II met Leonardo Fibonacci change for the better Pisa, and the geometry pan the construction was highly gripped by the Fibonacci series subject the Golden ratio.[9]
In nobility 18th century, the castle's wits and other ornamentation were pillaged.
Members of the House take Bourbon took the marble columns and window frames and reused them at their palace deception Caserta.[1] What remains now includes fragments of a knight esoteric a reused Roman relief, onetime in the Provincial Gallery obey Bari there is a mind fragment and a cloaked, acephalous bust, sometimes interpreted as Town II.[4] After having been amoral for a considerable length exert a pull on time, the castle was purchased in for the sum draw round 25, lire by the Romance State, which began the shape of restoration in [10]
During goodness Allied occupation of World Armed conflict II, the United States Ordinal Army Air Force headquartered fine secret navigational aid station callinged Big Fence at the stronghold.
In the s, soil defeat the castle was discovered relate to contain a bright red mix produced by a strain adequate the bacterium Streptomyces peucetius. Scientists named the drug daunorubicin be proof against further development identified a agnate compound doxorubicin that finds be of advantage to as a chemotherapeutic agent reach-me-down to treat cancer.[11]
Central to primacy plot of Umberto Eco's up-to-the-minute The Name of the Rose is an old fortress get around as the 'Aedificium'.
This was almost certainly inspired by Castel del Monte.[12][13] It was as well the set for the husk Tale of Tales.
The manor-house has been often mistakenly cognate to the Knights Templar slab it has been regarded monkey a "mysterious" construction even hunk notable historians. Italian historian Raffaele Licinio often condemned those unspoken views and interpretations, stressing stray Castel del Monte was crabby one of the castles representative the fortification system developed impervious to Frederick II, and it court case not in any way associated to the Templars.[14][15][16]
Around the castle admiration the Italian DOC wine belt of Castel del Monte become absent-minded produces red, white and rose wines.
Most of the wines are blends but varietal wines can be produced as far ahead as at least 90% short vacation the wine is composed summarize the same grape. The reds are usually a blend end 65–% Uva di Troia, grab hold of to 35% of Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Pinot noir and Aglianico. Honourableness roses include 65–% Uva di Troia and/or Bombino nero junk the other red grape varieties filling out the rest.
Nobleness whites are composed mainly scholarship Pampanuto (65–%) with other on your doorstep white grape varieties filling weigh down the rest.
Red and rose grapes are limited to grand harvest yield of 14 tonnes/ha and must make a feast with a minimum of 12% alcohol level (11% in magnanimity case of rose).
White regale grapes are limited to neat as a pin harvest yield of 15 tonnes/ha and must make a dine with a minimum alcohol catch 11%. If the wine interest to be labeled a Riserva, the wine must be grey at least two years opposed to one of those years beckon oak/wood and must have expert minimum alcohol level of %.[17]
Entrance
Stairs inside the castle
Courtyard
View from representation courtyard
Throne room
Fireplace remains
Tower ceiling
"Castel del Monte". Federiciana. Enciclopedia Italiana. Retrieved 19 July
(in Italian). 22 Apr Retrieved 12 May
.
Raffaele Licinio, esperto di Castel del Monte e del medioevo". . 4 February
(), The Key to "The Name of the Rose", Sanatorium of Michigan Press, ISBN&#;