this is castel del monte in puglia, italy and i personally think it’s aesthetically the greatest castle ever built.



due to the lack of a moat it certainly isn’t the best in terms of defenses but this perfectly designed octagonal castle looks incredible.



it was built in 1240 on the orders of emperor frederick II who used the castle as a hunting lodge. the emperor was fascinated by mathematics and astronomy, a result of which can be seen in the design.



check out the sources below for more detailed info.

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4