{"id":34080,"date":"2021-09-20T12:22:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T10:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bellitalie.org\/?post_type=destination&p=34080"},"modified":"2026-10-14T12:25:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T10:25:43","slug":"aosta-valley-castles","status":"publish","type":"destination","link":"https:\/\/www.bellitalie.org\/en\/destination\/aosta-valley\/aosta-valley-castles\/","title":{"rendered":"Aosta Valley Castles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Saint-Germain Castle (12th-13th century)<\/p><\/div>\n

While travelling through the Aosta Valley<\/strong>, one cannot help but notice the abundance of medieval castles<\/strong>, often perched on rocky outcrops, from whose watchful gaze one cannot escape.
Most were fortified residences, built by feudal lords to control the transit through the valley, a mandatory passage towards the Alpine passes, to establish their control and collect tolls, which could be an important source of income.
The first Aosta Valley castles<\/strong> were built at the beginning of the 11th century on rocks overlooking the valley. They consisted of a square keep surrounded by ramparts, with rather spartan comfort. Among the representative remains of these, let us mention Graines Castle<\/strong>, Cly Castle<\/strong> or Ch\u00e2tel-Argent<\/strong>.
Over the following centuries, these dwellings were further adapted to improve the comfort of their guests, as can be discovered with Ussel Castle<\/strong> or Verr\u00e8s Castle<\/strong>. Then some castles evolved into seigneurial palaces, particularly from the Renaissance onwards, as with the splendid F\u00e9nis Castle<\/strong> or Issogne Castle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The castles on the map<\/h2>\n

From the west to the south-east of the valley. Some castles are closed to the public, others are freely accessible, others have an entrance fee, some with guided tours and exhibitions.<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u2316<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tShow interactive map<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t