The ancient heart of the Aragonese Castle, also known as Castel Sant'Angelo, dates to the year 1000 C.E., when it was built by the Byzantines as protection against Saracen attacks from the sea. Narrow, high walls were built at the water’s edge and, later, a navigable channel was constructed to allow access to small ships.
In 1486 Ferdinand I of Naples commissioned the architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini to extend the construction and adapt it to allow the use of cannons. At that time, the fortress took on the aspect that it has today, with low, wide towers.
Over the centuries, it was used by the Habsburg rulers as a prison, later Napoleon Bonaparte restored its original function and in 1887 it became a base for the Italian Navy. The last modifications to it include the demolition of several towers to allow for the construction of the present navigable channel and the Ponte Girevole.
Apulia Film Commission
Cineporti di Puglia/Bari — c/o Fiera del Levante - Lungomare Starita 1 — 70132 Bari
Phone: +39 080 9752900
Fax: +39 080 9147464
Email: email@apuliafilmcommission.it
