Castel del Monte. Geometric Marvel of the Middle Ages

238 pages. 55 full-color ills., 43 two-color and 213 black and white ills. Hardback with jacket. Cm 22 x 28,5 x 2,3. gr 1350. From the front flap: A recognized scholary work, this volume is already in its third edition in German, and is now available for the first time in expanded form in English. In the south of Italy stands one of the most beautiful and fascinating castles of the Middle Ages, commissioned by the brilliant Emperor Frederick II of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. Castel del Monte is unique in the history of art and architecture, and the mystery surrounding its function and meaning has inspired the most varied theories, most of which are based on speculation rather than solid analysis. Not one of these flights of fancy has succeeded in unraveling the design of this distinctive octagonal fortification. Heinz Götze presents an in-depth study of this enigmatic structure and explores its singularity in the history of art and architecture. Might there be a connection between the Castel and other buildings based on regular polygons?. Is there simply beauty to be found in the ancient precept of simmetry, or is there more to it?. This stunningly illustrated book presents the reader with insights into the bastion's structure while exploring the cultural influences common to the entire Mediterranean region, including that of medieval Arabic geometry, and the effect these factors had on the conception and construction of Castel del Monte. Castel del Monte" is a scholarly, interdisciplinary study and assessment of an intriguing masterpiece of medieval architecture. Contents: 9 Foreword to the English Edition. 12 Foreword to the Third German Edition. 15 Foreword to the First German Edition. 19 I Introduction. 29 II Lines of Development of Hohenstaufen Architecture. 29 1 Early History. 33 2 Castel Maniace. 43 3 Augusta. 44 4 Castel Ursino. 60 5 Lucera. 67 6 The Gate to the Bridge of Capua. 72 7 Caserta Vecchia. 74 8 Prato. 77 9 Termoli. 80 10 Enna. 83 11 Osterlant (by R. Spehr). 89 12 Castel del Monte. 109 III The Language of Forms in Hohenstaufen Architecture. 113 IV Castel del Monte: Design and Construction. 115 1 The Octagon. 129 2 The Eight-pointed Star. 140 3 The Ground-plan Design: General Remarks. 147 4 The Geometric Structure of the Plan. 158 5 The Geometric Construction and Measurements. 175 6 Spandrel Formation. 183 V The Geometric System and Its Realisation. 191 VI Provenance of the Plan. 206 VII Interpretation. 211 Notes. 225 Selected Bibliography. 232 Sources of Illustrations. 235 Index of Names and Places."