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Castle of Barletta today

Italy · Restored

Castle of Barletta

Castello di Barletta

The Castle of Barletta is a large coastal fortress in Apulia whose fabric records building campaigns from the Norman period through the Swabian, Angevin and Spanish dominations. It has served defensive, residential and civic functions and today houses a municipal library and museum collections. The structure stands at the edge of the old harbour and is notable for its massive stone bastions and enclosing moat.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1600

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1600

What Castle of Barletta looked like in its prime.

A compact, monumental fortress of pale cream limestone with very thick, sheer curtain walls punctured by small rectangular embrasures; a dominant, almost cubical corner bastion/keep rises above the surrounding walls. A broad moat encircles the walls and is crossed by a long stone approach with three wide arches leading to the gate. The roofline is flat with crenellated parapets; towers are low and integrated into the bastioned curtain rather than projecting slender keep-towers. The setting is at the city edge beside the Adriatic.

Its story

The story of Castle of Barletta.

The Castle of Barletta is the architectural result of successive ruling dynasties from the 11th to the 18th century. Count Peter the Norman took possession of the undefended lands of Barletta, then under Byzantine rule, holding them until 1054 and erecting a fortress in the south-eastern area of the present building; after the handover to his son Peter II in 1067 and the Hauteville succession wars, the territory came under William I of Sicily from 1154.

In 1228 Frederick II assembled the parliament of barons in the castle and announced his departure for the Sixth Crusade. The Swabian dynasty gave way to the Angevins under Charles I of Anjou, and Aragonese rule ended in 1501; Spanish victories at Cerignola and Garigliano completed the conquest of the Kingdom of Naples in 1503, and with the Peace of Cambrai in 1529 castle and city passed to Emperor Charles V of Habsburg. Much of the stone of its walls was taken from buildings destroyed in the sack of 1528.

The fortress is quadrangular, with pentagonal lance-shaped bastions at the corners, fronts of about 120 to 127 metres, walls five to twelve metres thick and a moat, once filled by the sea, reaching ten metres deep. Today it houses the Municipal Library, the Civic Museum and an exhibition hall, preserving an alleged 13th-century limestone bust of Frederick II and the Sarcophagus of the Apostles, the first stone high relief to bear witness to Christianity in Barletta.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1600.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Castle of Barletta, including 2 interiors: frederician hall (domus) interior, dungeons / vaulted cellars. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Moat and exterior approachPorta Trani / outer gatehouseCentral square bastion (keep) exteriorSoutheast Norman tower (truncated) exteriorCurtain walk and battlementsInner bailey (courtyard) and ditchFrederician hall (domus) interiorDungeons / vaulted cellars

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Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Castle of Barletta.

Cannae, ItalyAncient siteCannae12 km awayCastel del Monte, ItalyMuseumCastel del Monte26 km away

Questions about Castle of Barletta

What is the history of Castle of Barletta?

Castle of Barletta developed from an 11th-century Norman fortress built for defence. Count Peter the Norman erected the first fortress in the south-eastern area of the present building, and later dynasties expanded it. Frederick II transformed part of it into a palace for his court, while Spanish rule in the 16th century created the massive bastioned fortress seen today. It was restored between 1973 and 1987.

What is inside Castle of Barletta?

Inside Castle of Barletta are the Frederician domus, its hall, vaulted cellars and dungeons. The castle houses the Municipal Library, the Civic Museum and a conference and exhibition hall. Collections include an alleged 13th-century limestone bust of Frederick II and the Sarcophagus of the Apostles, a stone high relief dating from the 3rd or 4th century.

Who owns Castle of Barletta now?

Castle of Barletta is owned by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. It also has Italian national heritage designation. The castle’s present civic use includes the Municipal Library and Civic Museum.

Why was Castle of Barletta built, and what was it used for?

Castle of Barletta was first raised as a defensive fortress on lands held under Byzantine rule. Its purpose later changed when Frederick II built the Frederician domus and transformed the defensive stronghold into a palace for his court. Spanish rebuilding then adapted it to withstand gunpowder and cannon attacks.

Where is Castle of Barletta?

Castle of Barletta is in Apulia, at Barletta beside the Adriatic coast. It stands at the edge of the old harbour, within the city’s Santa Maria district. The castle is located in the administrative territorial entity of Barletta.

Was Castle of Barletta ever attacked or besieged?

Castle of Barletta was attacked and besieged several times. In 1202 Walter III of Brienne occupied the castle before facing a siege by William of Palearia’s troops, while in the following year Barletta’s people besieged and expelled the pro-papal castellan. In 1461 an attack by John of Anjou was foiled by Scanderbeg’s forces; French troops occupied the castle in 1528 without causing structural damage.

What did Castle of Barletta look like in its prime?

Castle of Barletta is a compact, monumental fortress of pale cream limestone with very thick curtain walls and small rectangular embrasures. A large, almost cubical corner bastion rises above the walls, while a broad moat surrounds the structure. Its flat roof has crenellated parapets, and a long stone approach with three wide arches leads to the gate.

Is Castle of Barletta still standing or is it a ruin?

Castle of Barletta is still standing and has been restored. Restoration of the entire structure took place between 1973 and 1987, after which it returned to civic use. The present quadrangular fortress incorporates earlier Norman, Angevin and Swabian fabric within the Spanish-period structure.

Can you visit Castle of Barletta?

Castle of Barletta can be visited as a civic cultural complex. It houses the Municipal Library, the Civic Museum and an exhibition hall, and the restored castle and gardens were returned to the citizens of Barletta in 2002. Its heritage designation is Italian national heritage.

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