Copertino Castle is a historic fortress located in the heart of the city of Copertino.
The castle’s current appearance dates back to a 16th-century renovation by military architect Evangelista Menga. The commission for the works was entrusted by Alfonso Castriota, of the Branai family, for his niece Maria, wife of Antonio Castriota. The work was completed in 1540 and the inscription on the eastern curtain wall of the fortress, “pater patruus et socer” (father, uncle and father-in-law), testifies to Alfonso’s family relationships.
However, the first fortified nucleus of the structure could date back to the 13th-14th century, as suggested by the shape of the quadrangular tower that characterizes the castle. In 1419, the castle passed to Ladislaus of Anjou Durazzo, and later to his wife Maria of Enghien.
Copertino Castle is built around a square courtyard, with four spear-shaped bastions located at the corners of the structure. The star-shaped plan, typical of 16th-century fortifications, reflects a strategic shape. However, the oldest part dates back to the Norman era. The imposing tower is similar to that of the castle of Lecce and the tower of Leverano.
A moat still surrounds the entire manor today, which is accessible via a stone bridge in Catalan-Durazzo style, adorned with decorations of monstrous and vegetal figures, which recall war motifs and weapons, in perfect harmony with the militaristic nature of the building.
Inside, the castle has large galleries connecting to the bastions, designed to improve defense in case of attacks. To the left of the courtyard is the Pinelli-Pignatelli portico, while to the right is the chapel of San Marco, completely frescoed by the Mannerist painter Gianserio Strafella, commissioned by the Genoese Squarciafico family, who acquired the castle in 1557. Inside, there are also sixteenth-century residential rooms that house a noble chapel dedicated to Santa Maria Maddalena, with fifteenth-century frescoes discovered during restoration work.
In 1886, the castle was proclaimed a national monument and, in 1955, it was subjected to protection regulations to preserve its historical and cultural value. Currently, it is managed by the Superintendence of Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Lecce, Brindisi and Taranto, based in Lecce, making Copertino Castle a significant tourist attraction.
Orecchiette Pasta
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