Forte di Bard – Bard

A fortress of the early 1800’s hosting temporary art exhibits and the Alpes Museum.

Forte di Bard is a barrier fortress that dates back to the early 1800’s. It is located in a town in Valle d’Aosta called Bard, which since 2012 is part of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.
Forte di Bard hosts permanently the Alpes Museum and often also important art exhibitions at the ground floor in one of the fortress’ wing.

Forte di Bard is composed by 3 main areas, placed in different levels, between 400 and 467 meters:
– Opera Ferdinando, at the lowest part, princers shape (divided into two areas: Lower and Upper Opera Ferdinando) and on the back there is Opera Mortai and the Polveriera which today are destined to didactical laboratories;

– Opera Vittorio with an interactive path for young people called Le Alpi dei Ragazzi (The Alpes of Youth). The path includes a virtual ascent at Monte Bianco with the aim to make know and approach mountain-climbing to the children.

– Opera Carlo Alberto, where inside there is a yard called Opera di Gola. Opera Carlo Alberto hosts on the first floor the Alpes Museum and on the ground floor the Deambulatory that faces Piazza d’Armi (where the temporary exhibitions occur);
Opera Calo Alberto includes also the “Prisons”, divided into four sections, with 24 small cells of detention (1.30mx2m) where many prisoners were shut-in. These were often used during the third Insurrection des Socques in 1854 then the small rooms of the prison used as warehouses of the fortress. In this space, a multimedia path tells the story of the fortress.

To get at Forte di Bard on foot:
– an external road (south part) brings to the yard of Oper di Gola;
– an internal road with narrow hairpin turns supported by walls, brings you to the opposite slope (North part) and which brings at Opera Carlo Alberto and to the Stables area (also here there are temporary exhibitions).
Panoramic lifts allow to reach the summit of the fortress.

USEFUL INFORMATION
Opening hours: visit the website>>>
Entrance with a fee>>>
It is recommended to wear a safety mask and to keep an interpersonal distance of at least 1 meter.

Photos: from Forte di Bard’s official website, facebook page and wikipedia

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