Fort Bard, Aosta Valley, Italy, Europe

The fort of Bard is a fortified complex that was rebuilt in the 19th century by the House of Savoy on the fortress overlooking the village of Bard, in the Aosta Valley. After a long period of neglect, the fort has been totally restored with interventions inspired by conservative recovery: it was opened to visitors in January 2006. It currently hosts exhibitions of ancient, modern, contemporary art and photography. The fort is also home to three permanent itineraries: The Museum of the Alps, the Children's Alps and The Prisons, as well as a fourth in the process of being completed (The museum of the Fort). In the main internal courtyard, musical and theatrical performances take place in the summer. In addition to educational activities, the Fort hosts original programs such as the talks of the Forte di Bard, Napoleonica, Meteolab, as well as sporting events such as the MonterosaWalserUltraTrail and Forteight. The Fort is equipped with a cafeteria, restaurant, event rooms, multimedia conference rooms, library, infolounge, wifi in many areas; it also houses a hotel. Its builder was Francesco Antonio Olivero. The project lasted 8 years (1830-1838). From an orographic point of view, the fort is located on the left of the Dora Baltea, on the top of a rocky promontory, at 384 m a.s.l. The position of the Bard fort is strategic because at this point the Dora Baltea valley narrows to form a gorge that over the centuries has marked a cultural, political and religious border of the Aosta Valley. At the foot of the promontory, in the gorge along the SS26 towards Donnas, is the Neolithic geosite of Bard. The particular position of the fortress where the fort is located, along the course of the Dora Baltea, allowed in the past an easy control of the passage in both directions, between the Po Valley and Savoy. Historical documents testify to the presence of an Ostrogothic garrison in the area as early as the sixth century, or at the time of Theodoric: in particular, a garrison consisting of 60 men. The fort is often mentioned in the early medieval chronicles of famous travelers who traveled through the Aosta Valley and were amazed by its strategic perfection: in 1034 the fort was defined as impregnable oppidum; at the time it was under the dominion of Boso, viscount of Aosta, and his successors remained in possession of it until the middle of the 13th century. Subsequently, it was occupied by the powerful feudal lordship of the Bard, local counts probably employed by the bishopric of Aosta. Ugo was the last descendant of the Bard family to garrison the castle: around the middle of the 13th century Amedeo IV of Savoy personally wanted to have control of the fort, taking possession of it and placing an imposing garrison there. The Castle was later under the dominion of the Savoy for a long time.