The Norman castle of Melfi is one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in southern Italy, its massive walls and towers dominating the town below from a low hill. Robert Guiscard, the Norman warlord who effectively created the Kingdom of Italy's southern predecessor, was proclaimed Duke of Apulia and Calabria here in 1059 — the moment when Norman control of the Mezzogiorno became official. Frederick II later made it his favourite residence in the south.
Inside the castle, the Museo Nazionale del Melfese holds an outstanding collection of finds from the surrounding region. The highlight is the Sarcofago di Rapolla, a 2nd-century Roman marble sarcophagus of exceptional quality, depicting a reclining woman on its lid with extraordinary realism. There are also Bronze Age grave goods, Greek ceramics, and medieval objects from the Norman and Swabian periods.
The castle is open Tuesday to Sunday. The climb from the lower town takes about fifteen minutes on foot, or you can drive to the entrance.