Almost entirely surrounded by the sea, it is located at the mouth of the seventeenth-century bridge that connects historic Gallipoli to the town's village, now the center, the mainland.

Positioned in this way, it protected access to the city. The first rudiments of the castle were built in the Byzantine period, later made the real castle by the Angevins in the 13th century.

Modified several times until the seventeenth century to make it an imposing fortified construction, bathed by the sea with characteristics of high military engineering. Originally, in the Angevin phase, the castle was quadrangular then surrounded by a fortified polygonal enclosure finally watchtowers were added at the corners. In the original version, the bridge that connects Gallipoli castle to the mainland ended with a wooden drawbridge, at the opening of which the guards collected the duties from those who entered to sell all goods. Over time, the moat and the arches that support the castle were buried.