Dear Steemians,
I want to talk to you about a place where time has stopped. Where the past is savored.
The fortress of Bard, in the Aosta Valley, in Italy. The first checkpoint for those who have tried to go up from the plains to the Aosta Valley and from here to France. Anyone who had passed through the valley was seen by the fort. It is located in a strategic position. From the fort it was easy to attack, but almost impossible to be attacked. The view over the valleys is formidable.
It tells of an already pre-Roman existence, and the first official garrison of the 6th century AD. The first reference to a fortress dates back to 1034. Located on a rocky promontory, in the tenth century it was initially under the dominion of the viscount of Aosta, until the end of 1200.
It then passed to the feudal lordship of the Bard, to go under the control of the Savoy around 1250. Being on the passage from Italy to France, it was the scene of terrible battles and protagonist in many wars. In 1800 Napoleon Bonaparte was stopped in his advance towards Italy. The French army managed to advance after the setback only by climbing over the adjacent hills, obviously with a lot of effort, given the heights and the slopes. For this reason, following the subsequent conquest of those lands, Napoleon ordered him to be razed to the ground.
Rebuilt by Carlo Felice di Savoia, it strengthened the defenses of the fort, and became as we see it today. Several bodies of buildings on different levels, united by a single path of stairs, which make the fort appear as a sort of wall. In case of invasion of the first building, it was passed to the second, if the enemies still had the upper hand, it was passed to the third, and so on until the eighth, the main one.
The buildings are grouped into three works, Opera Ferdinando, the first, in the shape of a pincer, consisting of two buildings.
The work Mortai, above, where the powder keg was also located.
The Opera di Gola is the main building at about 470 meters high.
To combine it all a long staircase, I assure you it is beautiful but demanding. The lines of the route are very rounded.
Decommissioned by the Italian military property in 1975, it was purchased by the Aosta Valley Region. It has been recovered and today it is a splendid museum, theater, cinema, educational school, exhibition area. Important art exhibitions are held here.
An extraordinary story, from here the history of Europe has passed, in a place that today can appear simply fascinating.
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