The Norman-Swebian castle of Gioia del Colle is of Normans origin and it's located in the historic center of Gioia del Colle.
Since December 2014 the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (Italy) has managed the castle through the Museum Centre of Puglia, which, in December 2019, has become the Regional Directorate of Museum
History
editByzantine origins
editThe ancient centre of the Castle, corresponding to the North wing, is from Byzantine Empire period, dating back to the 9th century. It was composed of a rectangular fortified enclosure in limestone. There was a small courtyard, adjacent to the southern wall. It opened outwards in what is now the Martyrs' square of 1799. The main function of the Castle was to offer shelter to the population, in case of enemy raids.
Norman period
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Between the 9th and 10th centuries the Castle was expanded by Richard of Hauteville, who belonged to the norman dynasty of Hauteville (Seneschal is the title of an high royal officier to the Normans), Duke of Apulia and first lord of the territory of the current Gioia del Colle. The oldest document where it's mentioned the Castle dates back to 1108: the expansion could be antecedent to the norman enlargement. Richard of Hauteville transformed the Byzantine fortess into a feudal stronghold. He expanded the yard to the South and enclosed it with a solid wall. He built a fortified tower in the South-West corner, later named "Torre De' Rossi". The King of Sicily, Roger II of Sicily, of Norman ancestry, changed partially the fortification and added two towers in the North-east and North-West corners, which now don't exist anymore.
The Castle and the surrounding built-up area, were destroyed by William I of Sicily, when him regained the power on the land of Bari
Swebian period
editThe current placement is attribued to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, who around 1230, when he come back from the Fourth Crusade in Holy Land, refounded the Castrum and added a tower in the South-East corner, also named "Torre Imperatrice". He erected curtain walls in the yard, to obtain closed areas, service rooms on the ground floor (kitchen, storages, stalls, stables), rapresentative and residential areas on the first floor.
In this way the building gained a quadrangular structure, with an internal yard and four angular towers, typical of Federician castles. The castle was part of the net of residences and and fortifications scattered over the territory of South Italy, from Capitanata to Sicily, destined to the militar control of prolific areas of [[Category:Webarchive template wayback links]]