Taking advantage of local labour, the Dukes of Amalfi built it in order to gain full control over the island of Capri.

[2][3] The manor house was originally owned by Adelferio, son of Sergius II (d. 1028),[3] who called the area Anglum ad Castellum ("the corner near the castle").

[4] On 15 November 988, Adelferio donated the castle, as well as his other possessions in Anacapri (including Artimo, Orrico and Gradola), to Giovanni, Count of Capri.

[5] The Norman conquest of Campania forced the Dukes of Amalfi to modernize the structure to provide greater resistance to the enemy.

[3] Other additions from the thirteenth century included a cylindrical tower, two protective walls and other items necessitated by the development of siege techniques and firearms.

But after the raids in 1535, led by Ottoman pirates Hayreddin Barbarossa and Dragut, the fortress was destroyed in 1544, and those who had taken shelter there were kidnapped or robbed.

Throughout his life, Munthe campaigned to abolish hunting and was able to convince Benito Mussolini himself to draw up legislation denying hunters access to the island.

[13] It is a useful location as Mount Solaro is an important stop for migratory birds that nest in Europe and fly to Africa for the winter.

In order to facilitate their study, migratory birds are caught in a net, classified by sex, age and species, and then weighed and measured.