Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • India
    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. India
  3. 2021
  4. August 10
  5. Castel del Monte, Apulia, Italy
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Castel del Monte, Apulia, Italy

August 10, 2021

Castel del Monte, Apulia, Italy

© Toni Spagone/Alam

An octagonal architectural treasure. Out of the castle of the mountain

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

Badlands National Park, South DakotaBadlands National Park, South Dakota
Idols of Hindu gods and goddesses in Kumortuli, Kolkata, India.Idols of Hindu gods and goddesses in Kumortuli, Kolkata, India.
The Painted Hills in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, OregonThe Painted Hills in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon
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

Today on Bing

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Aug 10, 2024
A lion in Maasai Mara, Kenya

A lion in Maasai Mara, Kenya

Aug 10, 2023
Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park, California

Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park, California

Aug 10, 2022
Lion cubs hiding in tall grass in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana

Lion cubs hiding in tall grass in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana

Aug 10, 2020
Seville, Spain’s Guadalquivir River and Triana Bridge for the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s departure

Seville, Spain’s Guadalquivir River and Triana Bridge for the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s departure

Aug 10, 2019

Related Tags

painted painting child art drawing canyon nature sky landscape colorful valley mountain decorated outdoor map text grass reef abstract art sunrise
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
  • © 2025 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.