FORTE DI BARD

The Fort of Bard, a majestic military complex built on a morainic hill which bars the valley, was for a long time one of the ramparts of the Duchy of Savoy, then of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Built in place of a medieval castle belonging to the local lords' family, the 18th century fort was destroyed by Napoleon after having resisted for two weeks the charges of the 40,000 soldiers of the French army. It was rebuilt by Charles Albert of Savoy from 1830 to 1838, and the structure has remained unchanged since. Except that a panoramic elevator, built into the side of the mountain, rises to the top. It could house a garrison of 416 men. The warehouses could withstand three months of siege, and the armament included some 50 cannons. The end of the 19th century marked the beginning of the decline of the fort, which first became a prison, then an ammunition depot, and was finally abandoned by the Italian army for non-conformity.

Museums. The fort houses the Alps Museum, an interactive journey into the world of Europe's highest mountains, a must for mountaineering enthusiasts. The museum of the fortifications and borders of the Alps, including a collection of weapons of the period. And finally the prison museum, located in the old military dungeons, where the history of the fort is told in a very lively way. Another section of the fortress houses temporary exhibitions. You can eat at La Polveriera or spend the night at the Hotel Cavour and the Officers for a unique experience inside the walls.