Castello Normanno

Built from the 11th century onwards, possibly at the behest of the Norman Count Pietro I of Trani, the fortress is composed of various structures fused together over the centuries, up to the interventions of the 18th century. In the Swabian period, when the structure became part of the network of castles ordered by Frederick II, the castle was adapted to its new role. The most striking element is the Torre Maestra ("Master Tower"), which stands almost thirty metres high, and which served as a guide for the boats approaching the port. The residential part, the Palatium, likely dates back to the early Angevin period. Incorporated into the castle structure is also a small church, the palatine chapel of San Giovanni in Castro, built in Romanesque forms in the 12th century.