Bari - Event

Just behind the San Sabino Cathedral lies the 12th-century Norman castle - also known as the Svevo Castle - Bari's biggest fortification, built to defend the city during its tumultuous past.

The castle was built in 1131 by Ruggero the Norman, who brought about serious civil and religious reorganisation within the city, which prompted the maritime traffic to grow and marked a new beginning from the previous period lived under Byzantine domination. However, the Byzantines came back to seek revenge and destroyed the castle a few decades later.

During the 13th century Emperor Frederic II rebuilt and enlarged the building as part of his vast defence programme. In the 16th century Isabella d'Aragona, Duchess of Bari, deciced to upgrade the castle to Renaissance standards of beauty and elegance, giving it its last period of splendour. After the 16th century, it fell rapidly into decline under the Bourbons, who made first a prison then a barracks out of it.

Today the castle is home to the Department of Culture of the Puglia region and is regularly used for exhibitions and cultural events.