The Castle

The lookout on the hill Used by Fredrick II during his hunting excursions, the Swabian-Norman castle rises up on a hill at an altitude of 500 meters. Traditionally, its construction was assigned to Drogone d’Altavilla or to his brother Umfredo, his successor, who built it at the top, in a advantageous position dominating one side of the Basento valley, the Gargano and the Apulian Murgia.

The royal horse stables Originally, it had a square shape butlater the original architectural pattern was completely changed. Today, a round-arch portal leads to the porticoed courtyard upon which open the rooms once used as royal horse stables. Here were selected the portentous royal stallion employed during the magnificent imperial processions. Opposite the entrance,a flight of stairs is used to get on the first floor, taken up from a series of apartments that, although over the centuries have been rearranged, in stops and starts, allow the view of the ancient barrel vaulted ceiling. On the second floor there are, instead, big rooms that reveal their Medieval function of representative halls.

The young prince’s healing The Castle was attended and became much more popular in the age of King Manfredi, who stayed there for a long time in the summer of 1255, after the victory obtained on the papal army, during the battle of Foggia. Still twenty-three years old, the natural son of Fredrick II retired here with his following to refresh himself from the war grinds. In this amusing place the young prince first became sick and was at the death’s door, and then recovered good health and serenity thanks to the salubrious air.