Other gems from Puglia: manors and castles
Posted by Claudia | |
The gems of Italy are its architectural imponent rocche, manors, castles spread a bit all over the place! Today we will go on tour inside Puglia, with its manors and castles overlooking the countryside or defending the sea from “li turchi”.
For example, Otranto is a lovely town on the east coast of the Salento Peninsula.
Otranto’s Castello Aragonese is exactly at the entrance to the town’s historic centre. The original castle was built before the 15th century, but in the Aragonese period it has been restructured. Nowadays it has been completely restored and open to tourists. Walk up to the top of the walls: a great view of the town and the sea is waiting for you! The first Gothic novel, the Castle of Otranto, written in 1764, has been inspired by this peculiar castle.
Another peculiar and charming castle is Castel Sant’Angelo, on the sea, located in the city of Taranto (located in the Puglia’s western coast). The King of Naples, Ferdinand of Aragon, built it in the fifteenth century. Originally it was acting as a main defensive system against water-based fights. The castle is currently a property of the Italian navy and you will not be able to visit the interior. The castle’s structure is pretty unique: the layout features large low turrets only slightly higher than the main castle walls.
Brindisi Castle is located on the opposite coast: commonly named as the “red castle” thanks to the color of the bricks, Brindisi castle shows two sections. The castle takes its starting point in 1227, during the reign of Emperor Frederick II. then it has been restored during the 15th century, but further extended during the 16th century.
During the Second World War, the castle became famous because it hosts King Victor Emanuel III while he was fleeing Rome.
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