Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • Canada
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Bing Gallery
  2. Canada
  3. 2021
  4. August 03
  5. Castel del Monte, Apulia, Italy
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Castel del Monte, Apulia, Italy

August 03, 2021

Castel del Monte, Apulia, Italy

© Toni Spagone/Alam

An octagonal architectural treasure

Built in the 1240s by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in southeast Italy, Castel del Monte (Castle of the Mount) features an unusual octagonal design. Eight stone walls stretch between eight octagonal towers and enclose an octagonal courtyard. Each of the two floors also has eight trapezoidal rooms. Acclaimed and protected as a World Heritage Site in 1996, the castle symbolically reflects a harmonious integration of classical Roman, Arabic, and medieval architecture and design—and to some, its octagonal symmetry suggests a connection between heaven and earth.

Its original purpose is unclear. Without a drawbridge, moat, or curtain wall to protect it, it was clearly not a defensive fortress, and its lack of stables call into question its function as a hunting lodge. Over the centuries it has served as a prison and as a refuge from the plague. But whatever the emperor’s intention, he left a captivating monument that still enchants today.

building painted

Related Images

The 12 Days of Christmas display at Butchart Gardens, Vancouver, B.C.The 12 Days of Christmas display at Butchart Gardens, Vancouver, B.C.
The gates of the Royal Palace (Dar El Makhzen) in Fez, MoroccoThe gates of the Royal Palace (Dar El Makhzen) in Fez, Morocco
Salt flats in San Francisco BaySalt flats in San Francisco Bay
The Acraman crater, AustraliaThe Acraman crater, Australia
Museum at Prairiefire, Overland Park, KansasMuseum at Prairiefire, Overland Park, Kansas
Bald cypress and Spanish moss in the Atchafalaya Basin, LouisianaBald cypress and Spanish moss in the Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana
Rainbow abalone shell, New ZealandRainbow abalone shell, New Zealand
Colourful alleyway in the medina of Tétouan, MoroccoColourful alleyway in the medina of Tétouan, Morocco

Today on Bing

Helmcken waterfall in Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

Helmcken waterfall in Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

Aug 03, 2023
Red-necked grebes in Germany

Red-necked grebes in Germany

Aug 03, 2022
Lightning storm in the Tortolita Mountain foothills, north of Tucson, Arizona, in the Sonoran Desert

Lightning storm in the Tortolita Mountain foothills, north of Tucson, Arizona, in the Sonoran Desert

Aug 03, 2020
Swift fox pups in Grasslands National Park near Val Marie in Saskatchewan

Swift fox pups in Grasslands National Park near Val Marie in Saskatchewan

Aug 03, 2019
Burnt forest with fireweed in Banff National Park, Banff, Alta.

Burnt forest with fireweed in Banff National Park, Banff, Alta.

Aug 03, 2018
Lavender fields of Valensole, Provence, France

Lavender fields of Valensole, Provence, France

Aug 03, 2017

Related Tags

painted child art drawing painting building art blue map text grass reef abstract outdoor colorful christmas cartoon door arch decorated water
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
Download 4K Ultra HD
Download 1920x1080
  • © 2023 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.