Bard (IT)

History of Bard Fortress

The fortress of Bard (Italian Forte di Bard, French Fort de Bard) is a fortress complex with an impressive history. Some important historical events associated with the fortress are:

• 6th century: An Ostrogothic garrison (Clausuræ augustanæ) was located on the rocky outcrop during the reign of Theodoric the Great.
• In the Middle Ages, the fort is often mentioned in the chronicles of famous travellers through the Aosta Valley, who were impressed by its strategic perfection.
• In the 13th century, the fortress came into the possession of the Counts of Savoy.
• 1704: The Savoy occupation thwarted the advance of the French army into Piedmont during the War of the Spanish Succession.
• The fortress played an important role during the Risorgimento, the Italian unification movement. In 1800, it was destroyed by the French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte.
• 1830-1838: The current fortress was built by King Charles Albert of Sardinia-Piedmont, who came from the House of Savoy, after the previous building was blown up and destroyed at Napoleon's instigation in 1800.
• During the First World War, the fortress served as a prison for prisoners of war. Later, it was a military prison and then the „powder keg“ of the Italian army until 1975.
• In the 1990s, the fortress was extensively restored and opened to the public.

Today, the fortress houses various museums and other tourist facilities, including the Museo delle Alpi (Musée des Alpes in French), which provides information about the nature and settlement history of the Western Alps. Theatre and music performances take place in the central courtyard in summer.

Architecture

The natural features of the location open up strategic advantages that were recognised and exploited as early as the 6th century. The steep rocky outcrop above the Dora Baltean river valley is easy to defend and enables effective control of the valley and the trade routes between Italy and France. In the time of Theodoric the Great, an Ostrogothic garrison (Clausuræ augustanæ) was located on the rocky outcrop.

Bard later belonged to the Counts of Aosta and then to the Lords of Bard. The fortifications on the rock were successively reinforced and extended. In the 13th century, the fortress came into the possession of the Counts of Savoy, who had a lasting influence on the development of the fortress site in the following centuries.

In 1704, the Savoy occupation thwarted the advance of the French army into Piedmont during the War of the Spanish Succession.

The current fortress was also built between 1830 and 1838 by King Charles Albert of Sardinia-Piedmont, who came from the House of Savoy. This was after the previous building on the same site had been blown up and completely destroyed at Napoleon's instigation in 1800.

Today, the fortress is characterised by its fortified walls with towers and bastions, which nestle against the rock on several terraces. The central courtyard of the fortress is surrounded by high walls and served as a meeting and recreation area for the garrison. There are various buildings within the fortress, including barracks, armouries, chapels and administrative rooms.

In the course of the extensive renovation in the 1990s, the funicular railway and panoramic lifts were also integrated, making the ascent to the fortress an experience.