Castello Normanno-Svevo

Why go

The castle offers a useful contrast to Bari’s religious buildings. Its walls, entrance and loggia reveal successive changes in power and purpose, while the Gipsoteca gathers architectural sculpture into a setting where you can compare details from different monuments rather than see each in isolation.

What to look for

• Frederick II’s building campaign left its mark on the original entrance, vestibule and loggia.
• The moat and southern entrance bridge make the castle’s defensive layout easy to read.
• The Gipsoteca displays plaster casts of sculpture from Puglia’s monuments and cathedrals.

The full story

The castle’s foundation dates to 1131, during Norman rule. Destruction in 1156 was followed by rebuilding and reinforcement under Frederick II in the thirteenth century. The Norman and Swabian phases give the fortress its name, but they are only part of the building’s history. In the sixteenth century, Isabella of Aragon and Bona Sforza were associated with its transformation into a court residence. That change explains why the castle combines military fabric with spaces shaped for a different kind of occupation. Its later uses included a prison and barracks, adding further distance from its role as a ruler’s residence. Read the building through those changes: walls built to control entry, Frederick’s entrance and loggia, and the later court all belong to different demands placed on the same structure.

Useful to know

• Look at the moat and outer walls before entering to understand the fortress around the later residence.
• Use the plaster casts to compare details with those on Bari’s cathedral and basilica.

Your next visit

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