On the 29th January 1240, Emperor Frederick II signed a decree ordering Richard of Montefuscolo, the governor of Capitanata, to prepare the necessary materials for the construction of a castle near the Church (since disappeared) of Sancta Maria de Monte.

At the time, the building would have already reached roof level and was therefore close to completion. The viewing and control functions over the region, which had been in place since the Suevian era, were reinforced with the intervention of King Manfred, who reigned from 1277: this marked the beginning of Castel del Monte forming part of a communication system, including its use for visual communication, which was therefore confirmed and elaborated.

In the years that followed the castle was mostly used as a jail. In 1495 Ferdinand of Aragon stayed there before being crowned King of the Two Sicilies in Barletta. It was linked to the dukedom of Andria, it belonged to Consalvo of Cordova and from 1552 it was owned by the Carafa, Counts of Ruvo. It became the refuge of many noble families in Andria during the plague of 1656.

It was uninhabited up to the XVIII century and was systematically ravaged. It was stripped of any marble and furniture and became a shelter for shepherds, bandits and political refugees. Before the castle became a complete ruin, frequent scientific restoration work began in 1876. It continued up to more recent times with work carried out in the Eighties.