Castel del Monte, Italy

Castel del Monte or Castle of the Mount is a medieval castle located on a small hill near Bari in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. The castle was built by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederic II between 1240 and 1250 and was used as a hunting lodge. Later the castle was turned into a prison and served also as a refuge during a plague.



Over the following centuries Castel del Monte fell into disrepair and after being abandoned for a long time, it was bought by the Italian government in 1876 which ordered its restoration in 1928. The castle which was never used as a defensive fortress was in 1996 inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites for its outstanding architecture with cultural elements from northern Europe, the Muslim world and classical antiquity.