The village of Bard – an authentic concentration of historical evidence in just over 3 square kilometers and for a population of about 160 inhabitants – is now considered one of the 20 most beautiful villages in Italy.
At the foot of the Fort, the Borgo di Bard is a treasure trove of artistic treasures to discover.The village has always had an important role in history thanks to its strategic position; its fortress has been fortified since ancient times. Between the two sides of the mountain, the village has many palaces and prestigious residences – joined together by arches, with mullioned windows or with Crusader windows – and numerous fountains.
Typical village of crossing born along the Roman road, is today in its medieval urban order almost intact.The approach from the southern side along the ancient route of the Via delle Gallie takes place in a landscape characterized on one side by terraced vineyards alternating with overhanging cliffs partly used as a climbing gym, and on the other, the sheepfold rocks that precede the fortress of the Fort with the obvious signs of ice age and prehistoric times.
The path along the main street – under which it flows in part, the ancient channel of the Furiana, realized from the Romans and still today in use – preserves valuable residential buildings of the XV-Sixteenth century, some of which have been restored and are now commercial sites – built on the ancient Roman walls, still visible in some cellars.
Of particular interest are Casa Challant, located in the central square of the village;Casa Valperga, on whose facade there is an elegant mullioned window, now buffered, flanked by two windows to cruise; Casa Urbano, seat of the ancient mill; the so-called Casa Ciuca, in which you can admire a beautiful example of ‘Viret’, a bold spiral staircase from the steps that open in a fan around a central axis; the elegant eighteenth-century Palazzo Nicole, residence of the last counts of Bard, On the facade of which you can still see the bullet holes of the siege of 1800.
But it is the Fort of Bard that makes the village famous in the world.It is a fortified complex rebuilt by Charles Albert of Savoy in the nineteenth century, on the ruins of an ancient castle of the year 1000. It can be reached from the center of Bard by elevators or along a beautiful panoramic path that leads to the top of the fortress. Reopened to the public after a period of neglect, the Fort is now a center of cultural ferment and houses important museums such as the Museum of the Alps, the Museum of Frontiers, the Museum of Fortifications, the Prisons of the Fort and the Alps of the Boys, an educational space aimed at bringing children closer to the mountain.
Along the central street of the village you can breathe an authentic atmosphere of yesteryear, which becomes even more impressive during events and events organized throughout the year: the cribs that illuminate the entire street on December nights, the parades in medieval costume to coincide with the festivities of August and August; or during the Marché au Fort, the food and wine festival held every year on the second Sunday of October.
Next to Bard there is the town of the nearby Municipality of Hône, to be discovered with its green areas equipped for families and with its old town.
It’s the commune that faces Bard on the orographic right of the Dora Baltea. Characterized by a charming village dominated by the parish church of San Giorgio and the imposing bell tower of the eighteenth century, Hône offers green spaces diaree and game located along the river Ayasse and comfortable walks for everyone. In the village are located several free rest areas at the service of visitors to the Fort of Bard, specially marked, from which you can reach Bard in a few minutes on foot.
From the centre, on foot, you can admire the gorges carved into the rock by the Ayasse torrent, along the route that offers very suggestive panoramic overhanging views.
Route type: asphalt and dirt track
Water: several fountains in both Bard and Hônehe a Hône
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