Two important Adriatic portcities await today, Bari, capital of Puglia and Trani, of less importance todaybut equally important in the Middle Ages and therefore of great historicalinterest. Despite being badly bombed in WWII, Bari has retained its medievalheart of narrow lanes and has a fine cathedral and a castle, built by FrederickII in the early 13th century. Trani was one of the most importantmedieval trading ports and consequently had a large Jewish and mercantilepopulation, remembered today in some of the street names, Via Sinagoga and theVia Cambio (street of money changers). The 11th century cathedral isdedicated to San Nicola Pellegrino and has a magnificent site right on the seaat the edge of the old town and is a superb example of Pugliese Romanesquearchitecture. Last port of call will be the imposing Castel del Monte, built byFrederick II in 1240. It is a World Heritage site and the preoccupation withthe number eight has excited scholars for centuries. It is built around anoctagonal courtyard, in two storeys of eight rooms; some have speculated thatit was inspired by the octagonal mosque in Jerusalem, others that it has somesort of astrological significance. Historians cannot even agree on itsfunction, some saying it was just a hunting lodge, others claiming that itoriginally had a curtain wall and was therefore a fortress.