Description of the attraction
Castello Zvevo, also known as the Swabian Castle, is a castle located in the Apulian city of Bari. It was built in the first half of the 12th century by order of the Norman king Roger II, and is now used for various cultural events, primarily exhibitions.
The date of construction of Castello Zvevo is considered to be 1132, although the excavations carried out on its territory allow us to say that even in the ancient era there was a certain fortified structure on this site. Perhaps part of the current castle was built precisely in the Greco-Roman era.
In 1156, the Swabian castle was destroyed during the siege of Bari by the Sicilian king William I the Wicked, and was restored only in 1233 by order of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. During the reign of the Angevin dynasty, the castle was rebuilt several times, and after it was acquired by Duke Ferdinand of Aragon, it was donated to the powerful Italian family Sforza, which expanded and ennobled it. It was then owned by Bona Sforza, Queen of Poland, and after her death in 1577 it was returned to the Kingdom of Naples. Then it was turned into a prison and military barracks.
Today Castello Zvevo is surrounded by a moat on all sides except the northern one, which faces the sea, and a defensive rampart, equipped with bastions. You can get into it via the bridge located on the south side.
