Episcopio Castle, Grottaglie, Italy

The construction of the Episcopio Castle belongs to the Archbishopric of Taranto, and still today represents the temporal power that the Italian bishops have exercised over the city.

There is no information of the dates of construction but we know with certainty that the original nucleus already existed in the 15th century. The castle was never used for defensive purposes, but was built as an aristocratic dwelling undergoing numerous baroque decorations over time.

The central tower of the Episcopal Castle has a square plan and is about 28 meters high, divided on four independent floors from the main floor of the castle that housed the rooms of the Archbishop. The Castle was remodeled several times over the centuries, so much so as to give it a baroque facade.

What really excites about this structure, however, is the interior: there are eleven large and impressive rooms with some openings of various shapes and sizes and, today, some of these rooms have succumbed to the charm of traditional culture, accepting to host the Museum of Ceramics.

Today the Episcopio Castle hosts two important events: the Ceramics Exhibition and the Nativity exhibition.

References:

fameroad.eu

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Luciene Ruzzarin (2 years ago)
Beautiful but too expensive for the experience. €12 + €4 to see the underground.

Baisil Dennies (5 years ago)
Viterbo nice city

GEOFFREY PHILLLIPS (6 years ago)
Houses the ceramic museum €5 each to enter. Times for summer opening from 29th June to 29 September

Jim Carey (6 years ago)
Another castle but I love them!

Jussi Uljas (7 years ago)
Nice ceramics museum and Also fun activity for childrens.

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Church of St Donatus