Investiture of the Templar Knight

A medieval ceremony beneath the castle walls

The Investiture of the Templar Knight is one of the most evocative historical re-enactments in the summer calendar of Oria, a Messapian town in the province of Brindisi, in the heart of Puglia. The event, organized by the Accademia Federico II APS with the patronage of the Municipality of Oria, takes place in the scenic setting of Montalbano Park, an ancient hanging garden nestled against the eastern side of the Norman-Swabian Castle.

In 2025, the event reached its twenty-first edition, confirming its status as a staple of local tradition: a spectacle that weaves together history, symbols, and chivalric memory, capable of transporting the audience back through the centuries.

The rite of investiture

The ceremony follows with philological rigor the key steps of admitting a knight into the Order of the Temple, the religious-chivalric order recognized in 1129 and founded in the Holy Land to protect pilgrims during the Crusades. The re-enacted phases include:

• the preparation of the postulant;
• the oath of loyalty and service;
• the blessing of the arms;
• the robing with the crusader mantle;
• the presentation of Templar emblems and the solemn investiture of the new knight.

Montalbano Park, a natural stage

Montalbano Park is an exceptional location: an ancient hanging garden featuring staircases, pools, and a panoramic walkway connecting two castle towers, the Torre del Salto and the Torre dello Sperone. At sunset, the walls light up, and the walk between the towers sets the stage for the solemn moment of the ceremony, in an immersive atmosphere that combines the rigor of historical reconstruction with the magic of storytelling.

The "Media Aetas Duellatorum" exhibition

Accompanying the Investiture throughout the month of August, the Accademia Federico II hosts the "Media Aetas Duellatorum" exhibition in the adjacent Church of San Giovanni Battista, dedicated to medieval weapons, armor, and equipment, with a path illustrating the evolution of combat techniques. The exhibition is equipped with audio guides in four languages (Italian, English, French, and German).

Oria and the Frederickian memory

The choice of Oria as a stage is no coincidence: the city boasts a deep bond with Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, who repeatedly confirmed and renewed the privileges of the Templars in the Kingdom. The great Frederickian Castle that dominates the town is the symbol of this legacy and serves as a natural backdrop for a re-enactment that is now an integral part of the cultural identity of the Oria community and the "stORIA d'Estate" summer program.