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A small Salento municipality in the province of Lecce, Otranto is a much sought-after tourist destination for its wonderful coastline, but it is also an urban center with more than 800 years of history behind it, during which various cultural influences have alternated, including Roman, Greek, Byzantine and Aragonese. It is no coincidence that Otranto is considered the gateway between East and West, and one of its symbols par excellence is the Aragonese Castle.
It is an imposing military fortress closely connected to the city walls, with which it composes a single defensive apparatus. It was built primarily for the purpose of defending the harbor from attacks by enemies from the sea. Today the structure is very well preserved and can be visited as far as its dungeons. If desired, however, the castle can also be visited simply from the outside, walking along the moat.
The history of the Aragonese Castle of Otranto
Also known as Forte a Mare, the Aragonese Castle occupies a large part of the old town of Otranto. Today's construction was built on an earlier building damaged in 1067 and repaired at the behest of Robert Guiscard. In 1228 further renovation work was promoted by Frederick II of Swabia, traces of which are still visible in the tower of the cylindrical median body and in the northeast curtain wall.
Following the Sack of Otranto in 1480, the castle was again rebuilt at the behest of Alfonso of Aragon Duke of Calabria. Operations began in 1485 and were entrusted to architects Francesco di Giorgio Martini and Ciro Ciri. During these years the entire city walls and the Alfonsina gate were modified. Its present appearance, however, is attributable mainly to the Spanish viceroys who made it a small jewel of military architecture.
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The castle thus became the city's stronghold, which explains the frequent damage and the various fortification and repair works, such as the one in 1647 at the hands of architect Saponaro, which consolidated the structure. Today the castle shows a pentagonal plan and is surrounded by a moat with 4 circular towers and one that juts out into the sea. A drawbridge opens on one side, and various architectural details can be seen, such as the Punta di Diamante bastion or the coat of arms of Charles V.
Internally, there is a small entrance plaza and a first-floor gallery that follows the entire perimeter, while the circular rooms in the towers have windows with fire vents. One of the most interesting is the Triangular Hall, designed by architect Ciro Ciri. Temporary exhibitions are currently held in some of these halls.
The rooms below the small square are full of shortcuts and escape routes. In fact, below the ground floor is a dense network of tunnels and tunnels that make up the basements Of Otranto's Aragonese Castle. These are spaces of enormous historical value since they have remained unchanged since their construction. The different phases of construction of the fortress can be read here.
Legends and curiosities about Otranto's Aragonese Castle
Around the Aragonese Castle of Otranto revolve many legends and superstitions and there is no shortage of those featuring ghosts. For example, the Apulian castle is said to be inhabited by a headless ghost, that of Giulio Antonio Acquaviva, count of Conversano, who was killed by the Turks during an ambush during the battle to recapture Otranto in 1481. His head was reportedly sent to Constantinople as a trophy. There are many other stories of death sentences and executions Inside the military fortress. From the Diamond Point bastion, anyone who tried to escape from the dungeon or committed other crimes was thrown into the sea.
Instead, another legend tells of a Spanish military man who, after tragically losing his wife in childbirth, fell prey to the madness brought on by grief. The man's ghost would return to weep over the woman's grave inside the castle. Finally, Otranto Castle is known to have provided the title and setting for what is considered the first Gothic novel in literature, viz. The Castle of Otranto, published by English writer Horace Walpole in 1764. The book tells about the members of the lordship of Otranto and the prophecy related to the true heir of Alfonso of Aragon.
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