The Castle of Charles V (), also known as the Castello di Lecce, is a historic fortress located in

Lecce Lecce (; ) is a city in southern Italy and capital of the province of Lecce. It is on the Salentine Peninsula, at the heel of the Italian Peninsula, and is over two thousand years old. Because of its rich Baroque architecture, Lecce is n ...

, Italy. Originally constructed during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, the castle was extensively reinforced in 1539 under the orders of

Charles V Charles V may refer to: Kings and Emperors * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise Others * Charles V, Duke ...

. The redesign was carried out by the military architect Gian Giacomo dell'Acaya. To make way for the fortress, two existing buildings were demolished: the Chapel of the Trinity and the Monastery of the

Benedictine Order The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly Christian mysticism, contemplative Christian monasticism, monastic Religious order (Catholic), order of the Catholic Church for men and f ...

of the Holy Cross. While its primary purpose was defensive, the castle also served cultural and civic functions. In the 18th century, one of its halls was used as a theatre. From 1870 to 1979, it functioned as a military district. Today, the castle hosts the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Municipality of Lecce and serves as a venue for numerous cultural events. The interior is notable for its elegant decoration, including carved capitals, a grand hall with large stained-glass windows, and massive stone columns supporting the upper floors. According to legend, the

Orsini del Balzo The House of Orsini del Balzo was an Italian noble family from the 13th and 14th centuries. The dynasty was founded with the marriage between Roberto from the Orsini family and Sveve del Balzo from the House of Baux. The family produced a Queen ...

family, who owned the castle in the 14th century, kept a white bear in the moat. The animal served both as a symbol of status and as a deterrent to intruders.

References

{{Coord, 40, 21, 8, N, 18, 10, 30, E, type:adm1st, display=t Buildings and structures completed in 1539 Castles in Apulia Buildings and structures in Lecce Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor 1539 establishments in the Spanish Empire