Bard, Valle d'Aosta

Bard (pron. bar) is a toun an comune in the Valle d'Aosta region o northwastren Italy. It is pairt o the Mont-Rose Muntain Commonty an haes a population o 134.

Bard
Comune
Comune di Bard Commune de Bard
Bard an Hône (separatit bi the A5 motorwey) seen frae Fort Bard.
Coat airms
Bard Location o Bard in Italy
Coordinates: 45°36′32.19″N 7°44′43.69″E
Kintra	Italy
Region	Valle d'Aosta
Province	nane
Frazioni	Issert, Crous, Albard, Valsourdaz
Area
• Total	3 km2 (1 sq mi)
Elevation	400 m (1,300 ft)
Population  (2006)
• Total	134
• Density	45/km2 (120/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Bardois
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	11020
Diallin code	0125
Patron saunt	Assumption o Mary
Saunt day	15 August
Website	Offeecial wabsteid

Fort Bard (Italian: Forte di Bard - French: Fort de Bard) is a fortifeed complex biggit in the 19t century bi the Hoose o Savoy on a rocky prominence abuin the toun. Efter mony years o neglect, it haes been completely restored. In 2006 It reopened tae tourists as the hame for the Museum o the Alps. The fort haes airt exhibitions an aw. In the simmer, the main courtyard is uised tae host muisical an theatrical performances.

History

Bard lies athin a steep-sidit gorge athin the Valle d'Aosta.

Bard lees at the centre o a deep, narrae gorge at the heid o the Aosta glen. This strategic pynt haes been inhabitit syne the Neolithic period as airchaeologists hae foond several muckle engravit stanes aroond the aurie. It later became a major route atween Celtic Gaul an the Roman warld o the Italian peninsula.

The day the toun haes mony biggins datin back tae the 16t century. Thir include the Bishop's House an the House of the Sun Dial. The Dora Baltea is crossed bi a Medieval stane brig an aw.

Fort Bard, which protects the pass, is biggit on the steid o mony earlier fortifications. In Mey 1800, it halted an entire French airmy launching a surprise attack on Northren Italy. It eventually fell tae the diveesion o French General Joseph Chabran on 1 Juin 1800.

Geografie

Bard is locatit at the narraeest pynt o the Valle d'Aosta. At this pynt, the Dora Baltea maks a shairp turn aroond the muckle rock promontory on which Fort Bard is locatit. The steep glen sides means the veelage is full o smaw streets that are bordered wi historic stane biggins.

The climate is mild for maist o the year. The winter is cauld but generally dry.

Economy

Bard is teepical o the aurie, wi agricultur, handicraft an tourism bein the major industries.

Gallery

Toun haw beneath the ramparts o Fort Bard. The medieval brig athort the Dora Baltea. The nairae streets an courtyards o Bard. The Hoose o the Sundial. The pairish kirk o the Assumption o Mary Medieval stairs athin the narrae streets. The distinctive stane-cross windaes in the toun. Historic pairts o the auld toun. A touer hoose crosses a road.

Freemit airtins

• (in Italian) Bard offeecial wabsteid
• Bard page Archived 2013-04-11 at the Wayback Machine on "The maist bonnie veelages in Italy" wabsteid