Castle Rotondo is a fortress castle in

Kaštel Štafilić Kaštel Štafilić is a town within the administrative area of Kaštela in Dalmatia, Croatia. The oldest tree in Croatia, an olive tree estimated to be over 1,500 years old, is in Kaštela. Sites City Square Kaštel Štafilić's most majestic f ...

, Croatia, on the

Adriatic coast The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to ...

. It was fully constructed in 1508, on the order of Stefano Štafileo, a Trogirian nobleman. Stafileo ordered its construction in 1508 to protect his lands and the Kozjak's peasants from the Ottomans pillaging. It is situated by a beautiful sea cliff. Parallel to the castle, there is a fortified renaissance house, where there is the Stafileo's family crest, engraved with a

bunch of grapes In viticulture, the grape cluster (also bunch of grapes) is a fertilized inflorescence of the grapevine, the primary part of this plant used for food (grape leaves are also used in some culinary traditions). The size of the grape bunch greatly va ...

. The grapes are a visual translation of the Štafileo name, which means bunch of grapes in Greek. The crest symbolizes wine making, and the future. There is also an inscription in Latin above the castle gate, which states the original purpose behind the Castle's construction. The southern residential wing of the house has a water gate that still exists today.

Origin of the name

Castle Rotondo is named after the noble family, ' Rotondo' that resided in it for over 400 years. Prior to this, it was 'Castle Štafileo'.

History

The first owner, and builder, Stefano Štafileo arrived from Crete, Greece, and married a woman from Trogir. He became a well-respected resident of Trogir with houses and residences all over town. Stefano's son was Bishop of the diocese of Sibenik, Archdiacon in Trogir, a doctor in law, lecturer in Rome, the papal legate, diplomat, Croatian Latinist, and later, Polish nobility. Ivan was a diplomat to

Pope Leo X Pope Leo X (; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521. Born into the prominent political and banking Med ...

, handled the divorce of King

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

of England, and

Catherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, historical Spanish: , now: ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England as the Wives of Henry VIII, first wife of King Henry VIII from their marr ...

. Was baptized by the French king Francis I in 1519. The King of Poland,

Sigismund I the Old Sigismund I the Old (, ; 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) was List of Polish monarchs, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. Sigismund I was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the son of Casimir IV of P ...

, gave Ivan a title, and a priceless painting. The painting can be found today in the church of Kaštel Štafilić.

Function

The Castle functioned as a Fortress, where it protected villagers from invading Turkish occupiers.

Size

The Castle has an area of 1,127 m², with a ground floor, and three higher floors,

References

{{reflist Castles in Croatia Buildings and structures in Split-Dalmatia County