Bari's Historical Treasure: Castello Svevo, Italy

Hello friends. There's an impressive castle in Bari: the Castello Svevo (Swabian Castle). During our trip my friends and I decided to visit this castle to see what was happening there. I heard about an interesting light show at the castle, so I insisted on going to watch it. We headed towards the city center together. We toured the castle and I wanted to share my impressions with you.

According to the information panels at the entrance, the castle was originally built in 1131 by Norman King Roger II. It was later destroyed and rebuilt and expanded by Frederick II in the 13th century. This happened between 1233 and 1240. Later various renovations and modernizations were made to the castle by order of Charles I. Isabella of Aragon and her daughter Bona Sforza also lived in the castle. In the 19th century the castle was used as a prison and then converted into barracks. Today there is a very interesting museum inside.

The most interesting exhibition for me in the museum was the sculpture exhibit. I love the Baroque style and here they displayed a collection of plaster copies of various significant religious and civil monuments from Apulia, ranging from the Middle Ages to the 15th century. There were also archaeological findings. In two large halls, various Baroque sculptures plaster copies were exhibited. This was the main reason I wanted to visit this exhibit. I also wanted to see what was happening in the castle.

The castle is very large with massive walls and is surrounded by a moat on three sides. There is no moat on the opposite side because the castle was once surrounded by the sea on that side. Over time the sea receded and a road was built there. The moats on the other sides are still there. Various works are ongoing within the castle. On the first Sunday of the month many museums in Italy are free. So we took advantage of this opportunity to visit the exhibit.

When we entered we were greeted by an impressive arch decorated with various animal figures and ornaments. The doors were made of massive wood and the capitals of the columns were very interesting. Inside various film trailers were shown on different walls with 3D projections.

We went out to the castle courtyard which was very interesting. There are many castles in the Apulia region and they all have somewhat similar planning. There's always such an open space in the courtyard. It used to be filled with water probably a well or a cistern. Water came here.

We also watched the light show they mentioned. And we could watch various informative videos as we moved from room to room. The historical films shown in the large halls were truly impressive. The halls had round illuminated tables and interactive information points, providing information about important figures like Bona Sforza and Joachim Murat.

There was also a massive head sculpture here. Near a church a large sculpture found from the sea is displayed here.

Then we came to the most interesting part of the castle, at least for me. This gallery housed plaster casts of Apulia's most famous architectural monuments. These plaster casts, created by sculptors Pasquale Duret and Mario Sabatella for the ethnographic exhibition pavilion in Rome in 1911, contain various architectural decorative elements taken from important monuments of Apulia from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. The decorations made using local stone, tuff, very fascinated me. I had visited and seen most of these buildings in their original locations, so seeing this exhibition was doubly interesting and enjoyable for me.

Many places were familiar. There were decorations taken from the San Benedetto church in Brindisi. There were also decorative elements from Otranto and Lecce. We could immediately tell that some were from Lecce. Many details in this gallery were very well-crafted. The plant motifs and other decorations were quite impressive. Some of these elements have worn over time, but they still look very beautiful. We saw decorations taken from Latium, the tomb of Orsini and the church of Santa Caterina. Each had different and interesting details.

A piece from the city of Troia is on display. Troia located in the Apulia region, is a small city with history and traditions. The column bases really impressed me. The elements from Siponto are also very interesting, featuring motifs of God and angels, imaginary animals, pine cones and flowers.

This hall is even more interesting because more architectural elements are on display. Some are familiar while others are new. One looks like a lion biting a human head. Others seem to be fighting with snakes.

These sculpture pieces are from Bari. There are mythological creatures with human heads and animal bodies. Some look like Sphinxes. The half-column capitals are fascinating, featuring animal figures. Were these animals real or did the artists use their imagination? For me it was very interesting.

If you come to Bari and have a few hours, I highly recommend visiting this castle. This exhibition is truly magnificent. The architectural details and sculptures are especially impressive. Exhibitions like this excite me very much.

Lastly we moved on to another exhibition showing a wedding banquet. This section recreated the royal family's wedding feast. It was also very interesting and atmospheric. They depicted Queen Bona Sforza's wedding. Everything was illuminated, with people dancing in medieval costumes. It was truly a mesmerizing experience.

Some rooms were open, while others had activities going on and you could enter and look around. I particularly liked the second floor. Especially the halls containing various architectural elements collected from Apulia cities. I love examining such things, so I spend a lot of time in places with these elements. For example, I love the city of Lecce because the baroque churches there are adorned with incredible carvings and I examine them with great pleasure. We went downstairs, where there were Byzantine excavations. They might not be very visible because it's dark here. But there's also a film explaining what was in this area before the castle was built. It's really nice. There are films in different rooms, so even if you're touring without a guide, you can read and learn some history if you know English or Italian.

In the evening we could see Bari's old town from the castle's viewpoint. There's a tall bell tower in the distance, illuminated San Sabino Cathedral. Next to the cathedral is an old monastery, where you can watch the ceremony from some rooms.

Then we said goodbye to the castle. I recommend everyone visiting Bari to visit the castle. There's an installation filled with medieval atmosphere and historical information. It's very impressive.