The castle of Bernalda, which belongs to the town of the same name, was built in a commanding position overlooking the Basento valley, facing south-west.
Its construction dates back to 1470, although some studies have uncovered traces dating back to the Norman period; furthermore, analysis of the towers suggests that their shape is typical of the Angevin period.
The present-day castle is the work of Bernardino de Bernaudo, the secretary to King Alfonso II of Naples. The town would later take its name from him.
The building also served as the residence of Charles III of Bourbon in 1735, who – following the Polish War of Independence – decided to explore his new kingdom.
Architecture
In keeping with 15th-century tradition, the castle is quadrangular in shape and features three corner towers. These are cylindrical in shape, but with a base that is wider than the top. All three feature both internal and external fortifications.
Although the original design called for a larger area with more towers, various alterations have since resulted in the building as it stands today.
Inside the fortification there are several tunnels: the main one served as an escape route, leading down to the Val Basento. It was precisely the fear of possible sieges that led De Bernaudo to build more than ten water wells, so as never to suffer from a shortage of water.
