The fortress is perched high on a hill overlooking the countryside below.

In the 13^th century (1233) Frederick II built the castle. It was three stories high with luxurious rooms and fine furniture. The castle had no known entrance at street level so historians are not sure how people entered it. On the grounds were also other buildings (possibly shops, barracks, ammunitions store). Only ruins remain where the castle and other buildings once stood.

In 1269 Charles I of Anjou had a large wall built around the castle and the other buildings. The surrounding wall was 900 metres long (a perimeter of over half a mile) with 24 defence towers and two large corner towers. A church in honor of St. Francis was also constructed within the walls. A moat was dug to defend the eastern side of the fortress.

In 1456 Lucera was damaged by an earthquake and part of the castle collapsed. Much later, in the 1700s the castle was destroyed because the materials were needed for other purposes.

Now nothing is left but the surrounding external walls. There is some reconstructive work being done. We entered the fortress on a fine newly built bridge (2000) . This bridge replaced the draw-bridge which once crossed the moat. They are in the process of repairing some of the surrounding walls so people will be able to walk along the path (11 metres high) which was once used by patrols and look-outs. There is much work left to be done to make this a worthwhile tourist attraction. I regret that I did not get a photo of the fortress to show how impressive it looked perched on the cliff as we approached the town of Lucera.

Link : http://www.itineraweb.com/english/grandtour/5ci1s1s2.htm

Note: much of the information was obtained from the visitors' guide provided at the fortress.