Visitors invariably ponder over the geometric perfection of the castle figure, a la par with the perfect geometry of the pyramids. Scholars have studied this castle, mesmerized by its octagonal forms, and have hypothesized about its provenance, purpose, and structural layout. There is no historical documentation about the castle other than who built it, cloaking the structure in a cloud of mystery.

A recent study has decoded the ground-floor layout, thus revealing the design provenance, the purpose, the location, and the construction challenges. It is a trove of new information and discoveries, such as the unit of measurement. Most surprisingly, however, is finding that its octagonal form is an innovative structural experiment, a design based on a scientific reach when mathematical and scientific knowledge was still wanting.

The real story of Castel del Monte is revealed in a collection of new publications, lifting the mistery cloud from this wonderful structure.

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