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Manta Castle is a medieval fortress located on the hills of Manta, in the province of Cuneo, Italy. Since 1984, it has been managed by the Italian Heritage Trust (FAI) and is included in the “Castelli Aperti” network of Piedmont.
Originally built in the 12th century, the castle was transformed into a noble residence in the early 1400s by the Saluzzo della Manta family. After their lineage ended in the late 18th century, the castle fell into disrepair until restoration work began following its donation to FAI.
The castle is known for its exceptional 15th-century frescoes in the Baronial Hall, painted around 1420, which depict legendary figures such as Hector, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and King Arthur, as well as the mythical Fountain of Youth. These works are among the rare surviving examples of courtly medieval art and were inspired by the poem Le Chevalier Errant by Thomas III of Saluzzo.
Another notable artwork is the “Madonna del Latte,” a small 15th-century fresco showing the Virgin Mary nursing the infant Jesus. The castle also features the richly decorated Grotesque Hall, commissioned around 1560 by Michele Antonio della Manta, with Renaissance-inspired painted ceilings and stucco work.
Attached to the castle is the Church of Santa Maria al Castello, where visitors can see frescoes from the same period as the Baronial Hall, depicting scenes from the life of Christ. The church also contains a funerary chapel with mannerist-style decoration from the late Renaissance.
The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.
The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.
Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.