Svevo Castle is situated on a cliff overhanging the sea upon Scialara beach (also known as Pizzomunno or Castle beach). As military base, the castle is only open during few events.
Nevertheless, it is highly recommended to visit it to enjoy the beautiful view and observe the outer walls.
The construction of the castle is dated back to 1242 and it’s part of a project by Federico II, who decided to construct many fortresses on the Adriatic coast after the Venetian raid.
In the sixteenth Century it experienced several attacks from the Saracen, among whom we can list Deaguth Rais, in July 1554 and it was also severely damaged in 1646 by a powerful earthquake.
The current shape of the castle is a consequence of several changes made by the Spanish around 1535 and 1559, who neutralized every trace of Swabian style. Recently it has been renovated by Puglia’s Department for Artistic and Historical Goods.