Among the Baroque monuments that you can visit in the beautiful town of Mesagne, the Norman-Swabian castle, a priceless historical testimony of the highest architectural value, is a must. The first documents attesting to the construction of the building in Puglia date back to the early 11th century, after the Norman reconquest of the region by Robert of Altavilla, known as the Guiscard, who built a castrum (or camp) to defend the city.
Inside, you will certainly not be disappointed by the beauty of the spaces built around the two main nuclei of the complex, the oldest of which is a quadrangular keep 22 metres high, recognised as one of the highest points in the city. Built on three different levels, connected by a spiral staircase, the building has six small rooms on the ground floor, where you can see the characteristic chimneys of the historic fortress. Continuing along the route, it is possible to explore the evocative underground section of the rooms, interesting for a historical reconstruction of the internal events of the palace, stimulated by the presence of prisons and oil tanks.
On the first floor you can visit also the fascinating "Granafei" Archaeological Museum, where you can admire some beautiful Messapian tombs, together with mosaics and remains from different historical periods. As well as Messapian finds, the building also houses Roman and Medieval artefacts, most of which come from the city, particularly from the archaeological sites of Muro Tenente, Muro Maurizio, Muro Malvindi and from necropolises found in the city centre.
