Castello Alfonsino (Forte a Mare)

Castello Alfonsino — also called the Forte a Mare — sits on a small island directly at the mouth of the inner harbour, reachable by boat from the waterfront. The Aragonese castle was built in the 1480s as a direct response to the Ottoman threat after the fall of Constantinople, and its squat, circular towers and thick walls represent an early attempt to design fortifications that could withstand artillery.

The view from the castle walls back toward the city is one of the best in Brindisi: the twin bell towers of the Duomo, the rooftops of the old town, and the long sweep of the outer harbour all visible at once. The castle is occasionally used for events and exhibitions in summer; at other times access is limited to the exterior. Boat transfers from the Corso Garibaldi run when the castle is open — check the tourist office for current schedules.

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The Aragonese built the fort on a tiny island at the harbour mouth in the late fifteenth century, and it served its purpose well — Brindisi was one of the few ports in the region never taken by the Ottomans, despite repeated attempts. The castle's circular towers, designed specifically to deflect cannon fire, were an innovation in Italian military architecture at the time.

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