Castello Normanno-Svevo (Swabian Castle), Bari (must see)

Also known as the Houenstaufen Castle, the Swabian Fortress was built circa 1132 by the Norman King Roger II. The castle was destroyed in 1156 by King William I ("The Wicked") of Sicily in his busy jaunt through Bari. It was restored by Emperor Fredrick II in 1233.

The castle is surrounded by a moat. Each corner of the castle walls has a tower bastion. The "Tower of Minors" was a juvenile prison. "Traffic Light" is a maritime aide. The "Tower of Saint Francis" is said to have sheltered the saint as a guest of Frederick II. The "Tower of the Wind" on the northwest corner is exactly that.

The ogival arch west gate opens to a vestibule of high cross vaults, columns, and pilasters. A loggia faces a Renaissance courtyard with an Aragonese staircase. North of the courtyard is a passage to the 10th-century church of Saint Apollinaris. Today the castle houses the Bari Directorate for Architectural and Landscape Heritage.

There is a story that in 1221 Frederick II hosted Saint Francis of Assisi in the Swabian Castle. The Emperor sent a courtesan to seduce the saint. As she approached his bed, it was covered with fire. She fled in terror. Frederick (who had been spying on the saint) was very impressed. The courtesan could not be reached for comment.