Castello di Ugento
If there’s one thing Italians know how to do, it’s cook — and now they can do it in one of the most stunning settings imaginable.
A majestic 17th century castle in the heart of southern Puglia, Italy has undergone an $ 11.7 million transformation to become an art culinary institute.
It’s called the Puglia Culinary Centre, and it operates in partnership with The Culinary Institute of America.
Along with the state-of-the-art cooking school, the 4,500 square metre castle — which dates back to the Messapians in 8th century BC — now also houses a luxury boutique hotel, a contemporary art exhibition, an event space, and a museum.
In 1643 Castello di Ugento, named after the historical town of Ugento in which it is situated, was bought by the d’Amore family, and has been under their ownership ever since. The property is now owned by Massimo Fasanella d’Amore di Ruffano, an ex-CEO at Pepsi.
In the 1600s Nicola and Francesco d’Amore transformed what was then a military fort — sat at the top of a hill to protect the land and village below it — into a lavish palace.
It boasted elegant salons on the first floor and ceilings “soaring into the star-shaped vaults typical of Salentine architecture, decorated with a glorious mythological cycle of frescoes.” But over the past 100 years the castle has slowly decayed.
Archaeologists, specialist restorers, and art historians were appointed in 2013 to “breathe new life into the dormant Castello” as well as improve its comfort, security, and technology all while respecting its ancient history.
Scroll down for a look at the incredible restoration of the castle that’s home to over 1,000 years of history.
This is the Castello di Ugento, a property with over 1,000 years of history that has recently undergone a renovation to become a state-of-the-art cooking school, museum, and boutique hotel.
Castello di Ugento
Here, you can see the castle before its transformation. It’s thought that it was built — and then rebuilt — during Roman times on Messapian remains.
Castello di Ugento
Its circular Angevin Tower dates back to the Normans, who controlled the region from 1059.
Castello di Ugento
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