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Bard Fortress

Bard - Castles and Towers

Already during Theodoric’s reign (early 6th century A.D), sixty armed soldiers were garrisoned to defend the “Clausuræ Augustanæ” (a defence system set up to protect the borders of the Empire) in Bard.

In 1034, it was described as “inexpugnabile oppidum“, in one of the oldest references to a castle in Valle d‘Aosta. The Savoys became the Lords of Bard in 1242, with Amadeus IV, driven by the insistence of the local inhabitants, who were tired of the abuse of power by Hugh of Bard, who exploited the position of his castle to levy heavy duties on travellers and merchants.

From that time on, the castle was always controlled by the Savoys, who held a garrison there. In 1661, the armies from other fortresses in Aosta Valley, including Verrès and Montjovet, converged in Bard.

The castle took on renewed importance with the passage of the French army in 1704 and particularly in May 1800 on the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte, who found a garrison of 400 Austrian men within the fortress. The defence structures of the fort were so efficient that Napoleon’s army took about two weeks to overcome the Austrian defences, eventually succeeding thanks to cunning tactics. The fortress was then dismantled by Napoleon, to avoid further problems.

The current appearance of the fort is the result of reconstruction work commissioned by Carlo Felice, at the height of the Restoration, which, from 1830 onwards, turned it into one of the largest military structures in Valle d‘Aosta. The fortress began to deteriorate at the end of the nineteenth century. It was used as a prison and then as a weapons depot. It was decommissioned in 1975 from military state property and was purchased by the Valle d‘Aosta regional authority in 1990.

Completely renwed in 2006, the fortress hosts the Museum of the Alps, the Children’s Alps, as well as permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Forte di Bard
11020 BARD (AO)
Telephone:(+39) 0125 833811
E-mail: info@fortedibard.it
Internet: http://www.fortedibard.it

Tourist Office - Pont-Saint-Martin
via Circonvallazione, 30
11026 PONT SAINT MARTIN (AO)
Telephone:(+39) 0125.804843
Fax:(+39) 0125.801469
E-mail: pontsaintmartin@turismo.vda.it

Information

  • opening days and timetables

    . Fortress

    tuesdays to fridays: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    saturdays, sundays and public holidays 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

    The ticket office closes an hour before the fortress’s closing time.

    Extraordinary opening times: April 1st : 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

    April 29 th: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    The Alps Museum

    Open following the Fortress’ timetable.

    The Children’s Alps

    Open on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Extraordinary opening times: from March 29th to April 1st and on April 25th

    Tuesdays to fridays, open just for groups, on reservation by contacting the phone number +39.0125.833817

    The Fortress’ Prisons

    Tuesdays to saturdays: from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Sundays and public holidays: from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    Closed mondays, except on April 1st (11 a.m. – 7 p.m.) and April 29th (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

    Exhibition “dalla Terra all‘Uomo”

    Open until June 2nd 2013

    Same timetable of the Fortress

    Exhibition “Wildlife Photographer of the Year”

    Open until May 5th 2013

    Tuesdays to fridays: from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Saturdays, sundays and public holydays: from 11 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.

    Closed mondays, except on April 1st (11 a.m. – 7 p.m.) and April 29th (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

    Opening times are subject to variations: we advice to verify them on the web site reported in the “Contact” area.

  • prices

    . Fortess

    Free entrance.

    Accompanied tour: € 65,00 (for groups of 25 people, booking required).

    The Alps Museum

    -Full price ticket € 8,00 -Reduced entrance-fee € 6,00

    -Children 6-18 years old and school groups € 4,00

    The Children’s Alps

    -Full price ticket € 6,00

    -Reduced € 5,00

    -Children 6-18 years old € 4,00

    -Accompanied tour: (on reservation, max. 21 people) € 65,00 + € 2,00 entry

    The Prisons

    -Full price ticket € 4,00

    -Reduced, 6/18 years old and school groups € 3,00

    Exhibition “dalla Terra all‘Uomo”

    -Full price ticket € 6,00

    -Reduced and 6/18 years old € 4,00

    Exhibition “Wildlife Photographer of the Year”

    -Full price ticket € 5,00

    -Reduced entrance-fee* and 6/18 years old € 3,00

    ——————————————————-

    Reduced entrance-fee for: > 65 years, journalists on duty, university students.

    Free admission for: < 5 years, disabled visitors and tourist guides with professional card.

    Late Ticket fee: access to all the fortress rooms at special prices just before the closing time (weekdays from 4.30 p.m., holidays from 5.30 p.m.)

    For special reductions (groups, families, schools, conventions) and combined tickets for visiting different spaces, please contact the Fortress’ ticket office.

    Possibility of buying simple or combined tickets at reduced fee in all Aosta Valley Tourist Offices

  • Rules for use

    The Fortress’ spaces are accessible to people with disabilities; access difficulties to the Prisons, because of the cobblestone pavement.

see on the map

Tourist services

See also