A most fascinating and eerie monument. There is nothing certain about its author, possibly the idea of the plant may have been of Frederic II itself, who ordered its construction in the first half of 1200. About its real function and about how it was used we don't know very much, some even conjecture that it might have been completed after Frederic II's death, many people attribute symbolic and esoteric meanings to its form based on the continual repetition of number 8. Lastly it was the main location of the film “The Name of the Rose”.
In all the more known images Castel del Monte rises huge and lonely on the top of the hill and largely dominates the surrounding area with its out of scale dimension.
The entrance is eastward, the morning sunlight carves the planes of the octogonal towers and enhances the rosy colour of the local limestone.
All around as far as the eye can see the sunny country. It is a huge architecture, without ornaments, in the surfaces of the walls the opening are scarce, the light arrives to the interior rooms from the great internal octagonal courtyard.
The rooms are today severely naked, always in stone, the only surviving ornaments are some frames in coral rubble and scarce sculptural elements; it was once much more rich of decorations of which remain today only scarce evidences.
