Il Castello Dentice di Frasso di Carovigno

The Dentice di Frasso Castle in Carovigno is of Norman origin and stands close to the historic center of the town, on a promontory that dominates the entire coastal strip.

It stands out for its peculiar triangular shape – assumed during the 16th century – and the presence of fortifications at the vertices: the square tower, the round tower and finally the lanceolate tower, also known as the “almond-shaped” tower.

This last tower was designed under the influence of the famous military architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini, whose presence is attested in Puglia at the end of the 15th century.

Starting from the 17th century, once the defensive need had disappeared, the Castle took on the characteristics of a noble residence, thanks to the noble families who owned it, such as the Caputo, the Serra, the Costaguti, the Castaldi, the Granafei and the Imperiali.

The rooms were transformed through the opening of doors, windows and balconies, such as the elegant balcony that dominates the southern facade of the Castle, built during the 18th century, using Carovigno limestone, which is soft and easy to work, and whose characteristic light color gives the shapes a soft and fascinating light.

The noble Dentice di Frasso family (a small town in the province of Benevento, in Campania) acquired the property in 1791. When Counts Alfredo Dentice di Frasso and Elisabetta Schlippenbach received it as a wedding gift, the Castle needed major renovation, which was entrusted in 1906 to the engineer Gaetano Marschiczek.

The latter created new spaces, integrated them with each other and enriched the entire building with decorations and sculptures that conceal cultured and refined messages. Furthermore, by will of the Countess, the Castle was equipped with an extraordinary park in which the games of symmetry and proportion imitated, albeit on a smaller scale, those of the sumptuous European palaces. To access it easily, an underground tunnel was also created, still visible today, which connected the garden to the adjacent botanical garden.

In 1926, in order to revive the economy of the country, the Counts Dentice di Frasso allocated some premises to a spinning and weaving school that remained in operation until 1955 and which produced fine fabrics appreciated throughout the world. Upon the death of Counts Elisabetta and Alfredo, in 1938 and 1940 respectively, their nephew Luigi Dentice di Frasso was named heir, who lived there with his family until 1961.

Between 1909 and 1961 the Castle was frequented by illustrious guests, including the scientist Guglielmo Marconi and the King of Italy Umberto II of Savoy.

In 1961, Count Luigi sold the Castle to the National Organization for the Protection of Maternity and Childhood. In 1973, it became the property of the Province of Brindisi. Granted for use by the Municipality, today it is a splendid cultural container, home to numerous events, which houses the Municipal Library “S. Morelli” within its walls.