{"id":14875,"date":"2020-03-16T18:14:35","date_gmt":"2020-03-16T17:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.42doit.com\/education-en\/fortress-of-bard\/"},"modified":"2024-08-02T09:50:11","modified_gmt":"2024-08-02T07:50:11","slug":"fortress-of-bard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.42doit.com\/en\/2020\/03\/16\/fortress-of-bard\/","title":{"rendered":"FORTRESS OF BARD"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE HISTORY OF THE FORTRESS<\/strong>
\nThe first human settlements in the Bard gorge appeared in the Eneolithic period. They date from the second millennium BC. the first traces of material culture: rock carvings and cupels on the smooth rocks at the foot of the Fort, which document propitiatory rituals. In this regard, it should be remembered the Women’s Slide, a particular elongated glaze, produced over the centuries, through the curious practice linked to female fertility, which consisted of sliding seated along the sloping rock.<\/p>\n

The narrow passage between the Dora Baltea and the rocky overhang has always been an obligatory path to enter the Aosta Valley. The route of the road, cut largely in the rock, dates back to Roman times: the Via Consolare delle Gallie, built after the final submission of the Salassi (25 BC), and which from Eporedia (Ivrea) reached the passes of Alpis Graia (Piccolo San Bernardo) and Alpis Poenina (Gran San Bernardo), retains impressive archaeological remains in this section: support structures formed by mighty stone blocks, a viaduct bridge, the bridge over the Albard stream.<\/p>\n

From the medieval castle to the Savoy fortress<\/strong>
\nGiven the strategic position for the control of the transits, the fortress of Bard had to be fortified since pre-Roman times; documentary evidence of this is however much later. Some historians here identify the armed garrison (clusurae Augustanae) installed by the Ostrogoth king Theodoric at the beginning of the sixth century.<\/p>\n

The first mention of a fortified settlement dates back to 1034: it belonged to the Viscount of Aosta Boso, whose descendants maintained the lordship of Bard until the first half of the thirteenth century.<\/p>\n

After being conquered in 1242 by Amedeo IV of Savoy, the castle then passed directly under Savoy rule. A drawing from the second half of the 16th century shows its ancient structure, consisting of a set of buildings dominated by a square donjon and surrounded by a double curtain wall with guard towers; a system of ramparts went down to embrace the village.<\/p>\n

In 1661 Duke Carlo Emanuele II dismantled the strongholds of Verr\u00e8s and Montjovet and transferred all the artillery to Bard, which has since become the garrison of the forces of the Duchy of Savoy in the Aosta Valley.<\/p>\n

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries various interventions are documented to expand and strengthen the defensive structures of the fortress.
\nMemorable was the resistance opposed to Bard by the army of Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy to the French troops in 1704, during the Spanish succession war.<\/p>\n

The siege and surrender to Napoleon<\/strong>
\nBut the best known military episode which the Fort was the scene of was the siege of 1800. At the dawn of May 14 of that year the 40,000 men of Napoleon’s Arm\u00e9e de r\u00e9serve led by General Berthier crossed the Alps through the Gran San Bernardo to surprise the Austro-Piedmontese army that occupied the Po valley. The descent continued rapidly to Bard, where she was arrested by the garrison of Austrian troops to garrison the fortress. Napoleon crosses the Colle on the night between 19 and 20 May. He is already aware of the setback his army is facing at the foot of the Fort. On 25 May he is in Verr\u00e8s, where he is staying at the Prevostura di Saint-Gilles. Meanwhile, his generals organize the overcoming of Bard: part of the army bypasses the obstacle by climbing the heights on the orographic right (west – H\u00f4ne) others through Albard to then rejoin and continue towards Pont-Saint-Martin.
\nThe assault of the village took place on 21 and 22 May and the garrison withdrew to the Fort. The western gate of the village (Curlett, at Casa Nicole) is stormed. The blows from the fort also hit the building, which still bears the signs of the battle today. The fort commander, Captain Stockard von Bernkopf, does not give up and resists the siege of the French.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, part of the cavalry and infantry goes up the path that from Arnad reaches the Colle della Cou and from there goes down towards Albard and Donnas. A new attack on the Fort was launched on 25 and 26 May, during which the French lost many men. The surrender was ordered to Bernkopf, but he did not yield and no French soldier managed to enter the fortress. The stratagem of hay sprinkled on the cobblestones of the village and the wheels covered with rags is adopted to cushion the noise and go with the artillery at night.<\/p>\n

Much of the army had thus overcome the obstacle: the Fort is now between two fires and Captain Stockard von Bernkopf has no choice but to surrender. On June 1, 1800 he was forced to sign the surrender, still obtaining the honor of arms.<\/p>\n

MONUMENTAL COMPLEX<\/strong>
\nThe Forte di Bard, which has remained practically intact since its construction, represents one of the best examples of a barrier fortress of the early nineteenth century.<\/p>\n

The stronghold consists of three main buildings, located at different levels, between 400 and 467 meters: from the lowest, the Opera Ferdinando, to the middle one, the Opera Vittorio, and to the highest, the Opera Carlo Alberto for a total of 283 rooms.
\nThe Ferdinando Opera is in the shape of a pincer and consists of two buildings, the Ferdinando Inferiore Opera and the Ferdinando Superiore Opera inside which the Museum of Fortifications and Borders is located.
\nThe Opera Mortai, located behind it, and the adjacent Polveriera host the rooms intended for educational workshops and are also used for temporary exhibitions.<\/p>\n

About halfway up the fortress stands the Opera Vittorio, which houses the Alpi dei Ragazzi, an interactive route entirely dedicated to the youngest approaching mountaineering.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.fortedibard.it\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

FORTERESSE DE BARD<\/strong><\/p>\n

L’HISTOIRE DE LA FORTERESSE<\/strong>
\nLes premiers \u00e9tablissements humains dans les gorges du Bard sont apparus \u00e0 l’\u00e9poque \u00e9n\u00e9olithique. Ils datent du deuxi\u00e8me mill\u00e9naire avant JC. les premi\u00e8res traces de la culture mat\u00e9rielle: gravures rupestres et coupelles sur les rochers lisses au pied du Fort, qui documentent les rituels propitiatoires. \u00c0 cet \u00e9gard, il convient de rappeler le Women’s Slide, un \u00e9mail allong\u00e9 particulier, produit au fil des si\u00e8cles, \u00e0 travers la curieuse pratique li\u00e9e \u00e0 la fertilit\u00e9 f\u00e9minine, qui consistait \u00e0 glisser assis le long du rocher en pente.<\/p>\n

Le passage \u00e9troit entre la Dora Baltea et le surplomb rocheux a toujours \u00e9t\u00e9 un chemin obligatoire pour entrer dans la vall\u00e9e d’Aoste. Le trac\u00e9 de la route, taill\u00e9 en grande partie dans la roche, remonte \u00e0 l’\u00e9poque romaine: la Via Consolare delle Gallie, construite apr\u00e8s la soumission finale du Salassi (25 avant JC), et qui d’Eporedia (Ivrea) atteignait les cols d’Alpis Graia (Piccolo San Bernardo) et Alpis Poenina (Gran San Bernardo), conserve d’impressionnants vestiges arch\u00e9ologiques dans cette section: structures de support form\u00e9es par de puissants blocs de pierre, un pont viaduc, le pont sur le ruisseau Albard.<\/p>\n

Du ch\u00e2teau m\u00e9di\u00e9val \u00e0 la forteresse savoyarde<\/strong>
\nCompte tenu de la position strat\u00e9gique pour le contr\u00f4le des transits, la forteresse de Bard devait \u00eatre fortifi\u00e9e depuis l’\u00e9poque pr\u00e9-romaine; la preuve documentaire de ceci est cependant beaucoup plus tardive. Certains historiens identifient ici la garnison arm\u00e9e (clusurae Augustanae) install\u00e9e par le roi Ostrogoth Th\u00e9odoric au d\u00e9but du VIe si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n

La premi\u00e8re mention d’une colonie fortifi\u00e9e remonte \u00e0 1034: elle appartenait au vicomte d’Aoste Boso, dont les descendants ont conserv\u00e9 la seigneurie de Bard jusqu’\u00e0 la premi\u00e8re moiti\u00e9 du XIIIe si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n

Apr\u00e8s avoir \u00e9t\u00e9 conquis en 1242 par Amedeo IV de Savoie, le ch\u00e2teau passe alors directement sous la domination savoyarde. Un dessin de la seconde moiti\u00e9 du XVIe si\u00e8cle montre sa structure ancienne, compos\u00e9e d’un ensemble de b\u00e2timents domin\u00e9s par un donjon carr\u00e9 et entour\u00e9s d’un double mur-rideau avec des tours de garde; un syst\u00e8me de remparts est descendu pour embrasser le village.<\/p>\n

En 1661, le duc Carlo Emanuele II d\u00e9mant\u00e8le les bastions de Verr\u00e8s et Montjovet et transf\u00e8re toute l’artillerie \u00e0 Bard, devenue depuis la garnison des forces du duch\u00e9 de Savoie dans la Vall\u00e9e d’Aoste.<\/p>\n

Au cours des XVIIe et XVIIIe si\u00e8cles, diverses interventions sont document\u00e9es pour \u00e9tendre et renforcer les structures d\u00e9fensives de la forteresse.
\nM\u00e9morable fut la r\u00e9sistance oppos\u00e9e \u00e0 Bard par l’arm\u00e9e de Vittorio Amedeo II de Savoie aux troupes fran\u00e7aises en 1704, lors de la guerre de succession d’Espagne.<\/p>\n

Le si\u00e8ge et la reddition \u00e0 Napol\u00e9on
\nMais l’\u00e9pisode militaire le plus connu dont le Fort fut le th\u00e9\u00e2tre fut le si\u00e8ge de 1800. A l’aube du 14 mai de la m\u00eame ann\u00e9e, les 40 000 hommes de l’Arm\u00e9e de r\u00e9serve de Napol\u00e9on dirig\u00e9e par le g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Berthier travers\u00e8rent les Alpes par le Gran San Bernardo pour surprendre l’arm\u00e9e austro-pi\u00e9montaise qui occupait la vall\u00e9e du P\u00f4. La descente se poursuit rapidement vers Bard, o\u00f9 elle est arr\u00eat\u00e9e par la garnison des troupes autrichiennes pour garnir la forteresse. Napol\u00e9on traverse le Colle dans la nuit du 19 au 20 mai. Il est d\u00e9j\u00e0 conscient du revers auquel son arm\u00e9e fait face au pied du fort. Le 25 mai, il est \u00e0 Verr\u00e8s, o\u00f9 il s\u00e9journe \u00e0 la Pr\u00e9vostura di Saint-Gilles. Pendant ce temps, ses g\u00e9n\u00e9raux organisent le d\u00e9passement de Bard: une partie de l’arm\u00e9e contourne l’obstacle en gravissant les hauteurs sur la droite orographique (ouest – H\u00f4ne) d’autres \u00e0 travers Albard pour ensuite rejoindre et continuer vers Pont-Saint-Martin.
\nL’assaut du village a eu lieu les 21 et 22 mai et la garnison s’est retir\u00e9e au Fort. La porte ouest du village (Curlett, \u00e0 Casa Nicole) est prise d’assaut. Les coups du fort ont \u00e9galement frapp\u00e9 le b\u00e2timent, qui porte encore aujourd’hui les signes de la bataille. Le commandant du fort, le capitaine Stockard von Bernkopf, n’abandonne pas et r\u00e9siste au si\u00e8ge des Fran\u00e7ais.<\/p>\n

Entre-temps, une partie de la cavalerie et de l’infanterie remonte le chemin qui, d’Arnad, atteint le Colle della Cou, puis descend vers Albard et Donnas. Une nouvelle attaque contre le Fort a \u00e9t\u00e9 lanc\u00e9e les 25 et 26 mai, au cours de laquelle les Fran\u00e7ais ont perdu de nombreux hommes. La capitulation a \u00e9t\u00e9 ordonn\u00e9e \u00e0 Bernkopf, mais il n’a pas c\u00e9d\u00e9 et aucun soldat fran\u00e7ais n’a r\u00e9ussi \u00e0 entrer dans la forteresse. Le stratag\u00e8me de foin saupoudr\u00e9 sur les pav\u00e9s du village et les roues recouvertes de chiffons est adopt\u00e9 pour amortir le bruit et accompagner l’artillerie la nuit.<\/p>\n

Une grande partie de l’arm\u00e9e avait ainsi surmont\u00e9 l’obstacle: le fort est d\u00e9sormais entre deux incendies et le capitaine Stockard von Bernkopf n’a d’autre choix que de se rendre. Le 1er juin 1800, il est contraint de signer la reddition, obtenant toujours l’honneur des armes.<\/p>\n

COMPLEXE MONUMENTAL<\/strong>
\nLa Forte di Bard, qui est rest\u00e9e presque intacte depuis sa construction, repr\u00e9sente l’un des meilleurs exemples d’une forteresse-barri\u00e8re du d\u00e9but du XIXe si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n

La place forte se compose de trois b\u00e2timents principaux, situ\u00e9s \u00e0 diff\u00e9rents niveaux, entre 400 et 467 m\u00e8tres: du plus bas, l’Op\u00e9ra Ferdinando, au milieu, l’Op\u00e9ra Vittorio, et au plus haut, l’Op\u00e9ra Carlo Alberto pour un total de 283 chambres.
\nL’op\u00e9ra Ferdinando a la forme d’une pince et se compose de deux b\u00e2timents, l’op\u00e9ra Ferdinando Inferiore et l’op\u00e9ra Ferdinando Superiore \u00e0 l’int\u00e9rieur desquels se trouve le mus\u00e9e des fortifications et des fronti\u00e8res.
\nL’Op\u00e9ra Mortai, situ\u00e9 derri\u00e8re, et la Polveriera adjacente abritent les salles destin\u00e9es aux ateliers p\u00e9dagogiques et sont \u00e9galement utilis\u00e9es pour des expositions temporaires.<\/p>\n

\u00c0 mi-hauteur de la forteresse se dresse l’Op\u00e9ra Vittorio, qui abrite les Alpi dei Ragazzi, un parcours interactif enti\u00e8rement d\u00e9di\u00e9 aux plus jeunes approchant de l’alpinisme.<\/p>\n

Home<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n