THE LADISLAO II D’AQUINO CASTLE IN ROCCHETTA SANT’ ANTONIO IN FOGGIA

THE LADISLAO II D’AQUINO CASTLE IN ROCCHETTA SANT’ ANTONIO IN FOGGIA. Typical example among the Castles of Daunia in the Aragonese period. In June 1458, after Alfonso I death, the kingdom of Aragon, Sicily and Sardinia passed to his brother John II of Aragon. At the same time the Kingdom of Naples was assigned to Ferdinand I, Alfonso I natural son. He and his son Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, built a total reorganization of the Kingdom of Naples. This happened thanks to highly detailed plans of work, programs to modernize the defense system and a new road network aimed at both the troops moving and artillery fast transport. The schedule began from the capital and was virtually extended to the whole territory. It was a defense system to strengthen not only a city but the entire region. Where the threat of the enemy was looming, a strongholds network was provided for the kingdom defense. The realization of these new defensive structures led to the modernization of the entire territory. These military facilities for the protection of the city were increased by a network of towers, castles and fortified villages, distributed throughout the Kingdom from the hinterland to the coast and connected by an efficient system of optical signals. An innovative idea of total defense and control of the territory was born and raised thanks to the creation of fortification system for all the frontier cities from mainland to coast. Almost certainly, at this time, Francesco di Giorgio Martini was invited at Ferdinand I court for surveying topographic works, the construction and the improvement of military facilities. As well as Roberto Pane wrote, those had been "very large ones in the Puglia region, because of the length of its coastline". For the first time in Southern Italy, under the Aragon Reign, began a rational structuring of the territory, with a kind of geometric definition based on a scientific geography. As we said, in Puglia imposing fortification have been organized along the border of a vast territory. More precisely, this borderland between the Principato Ulteriore and Capitanata, was stretched from the basin of the Ofanto river to all the Subapennino Dauno. Lucera and Monte Sant'Angelo castles were restructured and enlarged with massive fortifications. The Castles of Ascoli Satriano, Bovino, Deliceto, Orsara, Pietramontecorvino, and Dragonara were maintained, enhanced and rebuilt. Moreover the Celenza Valfortore Castle, the tower of Panni, Sant'Agata Castle, and D’Aquino Castle in Rocchetta Sant’Antonio which arouse particular interest for its peculiarities, were totally rebuilt. D’ Aquino Castle is very interesting for its position and its relationship with the surrounding landscape. These features are outlined especially when you combine an architectonic view with a defensive one. From this last point of view, D’ Aquino Castle is located in a place that becomes the end point of the two main streets to enter the village. From the architectural point of view instead, all castle volumes are different in shape, despite their similarities in outward appearance. These elements fit into the landscape creating a sequence of points of view and generating a surprise effect also at first sight. From any angle the D’Aquino Castle shows its pseudo-asymmetry, because of its multifaceted view formed by individual architectural elements, towers and volumes revealing and hiding each other. This connection between the volumes geometry and the landscape, is not random. In fact this kind of studies is ascribable to Francesco di Giorgio Martini’s experiences tested and implemented in other places before. D’Aquino Castle has a triangular planimetric development; furthermore in each corner of this isosceles triangle there is a tower. In plan the three towers have substantially an ogival shape, in spite of having different dimensions and proportions. This particular shape is also called "almond". The towers are projected on the sides linked with a central body with short stretches of wall called "offese". The main tower in North/ North-West position is located on the tip of the triangle. It is the higher, for both construction and territorial morphology. The central body of the castle is a multi-level floor, despite it is a massive building. It has on one side a portal that leads to a small courtyard. The courtyard has an eccentric position and is partially covered by a barrel vault. Analyzing the individual volume elements, you may wonder for the heterogeneity of the figures that make up the architectural complex. In fact they offer different points of view on all sides, denying any image of symmetry. Moreover the main tower has an exceptional location and its geometric center is perfectly aligned with the two main roads that gave access to the old village. In this case, the entire castle volumes assume a double function: the first one is about the village defense and the other one is about the territorial roads system. The main tower with its position controls all the territory and the main streets. It acts like an important element for the town's fortification system and it is also functional to defense and sighting needs. Moreover , its position allows an optimal ballistic control to the territorial main roads. From the tower you could control not only the crest streets connecting Lacedonia-Melfi to Candela-Foggia, but also roads at the end of Calaggio river. In his book “Quinto Trattato”, Francesco di Giorgio Martini shows different kinds of fortresses and castles forms. In particular the triangular plans are described as the most modern type of fortifications techniques.