Castello Svevo (Swabian Castle) is a spectacular castle in Trani, located near the sea, not far from the Cathedral of San Nicola Pellegrino. The castle is known for its historical and cultural value and is also a popular tourist destination. In 2011, it was the third most visited state museum in Apulia, with a total of almost 50,000 visitors. SHORT HISTORY OF CASTELLO SVEVO Before the current castle, Trani had already a fortification, whose exact location is unknown, built on the initiative of the Norman King Roger II, and destroyed in 1137. The construction of the Swabian Castle was begun in 1233 by order of the Emperor Frederick II, and the works were completed in 1249, according to the project of Filippo Cinardo, count of Acquaviva and Conversano. The castle was built on a rock located in the center of the Trani harbor, in a shallow water area, which protected it from possible attacks from the sea. On the top of one of the towers overlooking the sea, Frederick II had Pietro Tiepolo, son of the Doge of Venice Jacopo Tiepolo, hanged. Pietro, podestà of Milan, was taken prisoner in the Battle of Cortenuova in 1237. Frederick’s son, Manfred, Read more [...]