Some Castles of Frederick II

We wanted to visit an area little known to the general public, but full of architectural and natural wonders. We went to the Vulture area, where some of the 200 castles built by Frederick the Great between Apulia and Lucania still survive. Fortifications built for hunting and because Frederick loved to move constantly, with his whole retinue of people and things... including his solid gold tableware. Mount Vulture is of volcanic origin, as witnessed by the two small lakes of Monticchio, with the classic caldera shape. The castles also house mainly archaeological museums, containing Greek and Roman objects recovered in various excavation areas scattered throughout the area. Some everyday objects were remarkable, and a fully decorated Roman sarcophagus was also incredible. The autumn colours and mists completed the magic of this journey.