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Between 1220 and 1225, Frederick II of Swabia ordered the construction of a castle in Rocca Imperiale, a strategic location for the control of the only road that connected Apulia to Calabria: the ancient Appia Traiana. In addition to being a defensive fortress designed to protect the surrounding territory, the castle provided a safe haven for the emperor's court during his travels and frequent hunting trips. Over the following centuries, it underwent a series of alterations and came under the control of various European houses, including the Angevins and the Aragonese. Consequently, Rocca Imperiale became the stage for sieges and battles that would shape history. In the 17th century, Rocca Imperiale was the scene of a historic assault by 60 ships of the Turkish armada led by the brutal Sultan Ibrahim: on the night of July 1, 1664, more than four thousand Saracens commanded by Admiral Bichir razed the fortress and burned the 14th-century church in the village, sowing terror among the inhabitants and capturing eighty people including women, children, and a priest.
Beginning in 1717, under the leadership of the Crivelli Dukes, the castle underwent significant structural modifications that rendered it akin to a small palace; these additions included elevated living quarters and the renovation of the upper part of the loggia. In 1835, the fortress came into the hands of the Bishop of Tursi, Monsignor Pujia, who had the intention (later abandoned) of turning it into a seminary. After a lengthy period of abandonment, during which the fortress was vandalized and looted, the Cappa family repurchased the structure in 1903 and made it their residence. Finally, in 1989, recognizing the historical and cultural value of the building, the property was donated to the Municipality of Rocca Imperiale. This generous donation proved instrumental in preserving and enhancing a cultural heritage asset now open and accessible to the entire community.
