There is a castle in Apulia which, for more than 750 years, has excited the interest and curiosity of anyone who visits it. Historians, inquirers into mystery and scholars from all over the world have consumed oceans of time and rivers of ink in their search for a clue that can explain the reasons for such a widespread use of octagonal shapes and complex interweaving of mathematical and astronomical notions in its structure.
A grand Master of an ancient Chinese art undertakes an adventurous voyage which ends in Italy. The reader travels with him and is plunged into mystery and Medieval lands and tales. From China to Mongolia in the times of the terrifying Genghis Khan; from Sudak, on the Black Sea, to the treacherous winds of the Aegean and to the pyramids in Egypt before at last reaching Italy. He is following a dream which only a mighty Prince could transform into reality.

Franco Arcovito is a civil engineer who studied at the university of Padua. He lives and works in Messina. He has always appreciated oriental thought and, many years ago, he developed Technical Feng Shui, combining the Chinese art of Feng Shui with modern planning techniques and environmental sustainability. He is also a journalist and enjoys hunting for mysteries and secrets concealed in antique architectural forms. This book is the first fruit of this hobby.

Front cover:
Ground plan of Castel del Monte, with the Yin and the Yang symbols in the centre.

Back cover:
Reverse side of the Italian 1 eurocent coin.