Description of the attraction
Castello di Verres Castle is a fortification in the town of the same name in the Italian region of Val d'Aosta. This is one of the most impressive medieval buildings in the entire valley. Every year, the castle hosts the historic Verres Carnival, dedicated to the memory of the legendary Countess Catherine de Challand and Count Pierre d'Introde.
According to the inscription on the wall of Castello di Verres, the construction of the castle was completed in 1390, during the reign of the Counts of Challan. In 1536, a restoration was carried out here on the initiative of Rene de Challand, within the framework of which the castle was equipped for defensive purposes with embrasures, buttresses and special turrets for installing cannons. And in 1565, after the death of Rene, who left no heirs, the castle was bought by the Savoy dynasty.
A hundred years later, in the second half of the 17th century, by order of Duke Karl Emmanuel II, all weapons and uniforms from Castello di Verres were moved to the powerful Fort Bard, which occupied a strategically important position. And a few years later, the Shallan family was able to return the castle to their ownership, where it remained until the 19th century. In 1896, it was bought by the Italian government and transferred to the administration of the autonomous region of Val d'Aosta. At the same time, the fortification was declared a national monument.
Today Castello di Verres is a huge cube-shaped tower - each side is 30 meters. She served both for defensive purposes and as a living quarters. The tower has 3 floors in height, and you can get inside by a huge staircase. The castle itself rises above the Evanson River on a rocky cliff, which also offers views of the city and countryside below. As for the characteristic features of Castello di Verres, first of all it is worth paying attention to the aforementioned staircase, stone vaults, several huge fireplaces and decorative pillars.
