Bard (Valdôtain: Bar [bar]; Issime Walser: Board) is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley region of northwestern Italy. It is part of the Unité des communes valdôtaines du Mont-Rose[3] and has a population of 134.[4] It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").[5]
Bard
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| Comune di Bard Commune de Bard | |
Bard in the gorge near Bard Fort.
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Coat of arms | |
Location of Bard  | |
  Bard Location of Bard in Italy Show map of Italy Bard Bard (Aosta Valley) Show map of Aosta Valley | |
| Coordinates: 45°36′32.19″N 7°44′43.69″E / 45.6089417°N 7.7454694°E / 45.6089417; 7.7454694 | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Aosta Valley |
| Province | none |
| Frazioni | Issert, Crous, Albard, Valsourdaz |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3 km2 (1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 400 m (1,300 ft) |
| Population
(31 December 2022)[2]
| |
| • Total | 108 |
| • Density | 36/km2 (93/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Bardois |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code |
11020
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| Dialing code | 0125 |
| Patron saint | Assumption of Mary |
| Saint day | 15 August |
| Website | Official website |
Fort Bard (Italian: Forte di Bard; French: Fort de Bard) is a fortified complex built in the 19th century by the House of Savoy on a rocky prominence above the town. After many years of neglect, it has been completely restored. In 2006 It reopened to tourists as the home for the Museum of the Alps. The fort also has art exhibitions. In the summer, the main courtyard is used to host musical and theatrical performances.
Bard lies at the centre of a deep, narrow gorge at the head of the Aosta valley. This strategic point has been inhabited since the Neolithic period as archaeologists have found several large engraved stones around the area. It later became a major route between Celtic Gaul and the Roman world of the Italian peninsula.
Today the town has many buildings dating back to the 16th century. These include the Bishop's House and the House of the Sun Dial. The Dora Baltea is also crossed by a Medieval stone bridge
Fort Bard, which protects the pass, is built on the site of many earlier fortifications. In May 1800, it halted an entire French army launching a surprise attack on Northern Italy. It eventually fell to the division of French general Joseph Chabran on 1 June 1800.
Bard is located at the narrowest point of the Aosta Valley. At this point, the Dora Baltea makes a sharp turn around the large rock promontory on which Fort Bard is located. The steep valley sides mean the village is full of small streets that are bordered by historic stone buildings.
The climate is mild for most of the year. The winter is cold but generally dry.
The economy is typical of the area, where agriculture, handicraft and tourism take the major roles.
Bard has been a setting for numerous works of fiction and movies, including films, such as Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Town hall beneath the ramparts of Fort Bard 
The medieval bridge across the Dora Baltea 
The narrow streets and courtyards of Bard
The House of the Sundial
The parish church of the Assumption of Mary 
Medieval stairs within the narrow streets 
The distinctive stone-cross windows in the town 
Historic parts of the old town 
A tower house crosses a road |
Media related to Bard at Wikimedia Commons
