FENIS CASTLE

The large manor house that dominates the village of Fenis is the prototype of the medieval fairy tale castle. It is undoubtedly the most picturesque of the valley with its robust and impressive defensive aspect. Its interior is also very rich and deserves a visit. Although the first construction, the work of Godfrey de Challant, dates back to 1242, it was successively extended during the 14th and 15th centuries by Aymon de Challant and his son Boniface. These interventions, as well as the 19th century restoration campaign by the architect Alfredo d'Andrade, gave it its current appearance. But the trials and tribulations that marked the family's history can still be seen on the walls: the ground floor was once used as stables, and the first floor as a hayloft! Today, the main structure, in the shape of a pentagon, with prism towers, turrets, drawbridges, loopholes, courtyards and covered passages at its corners, exudes an enchanting atmosphere. The numerous crenellated walls seem to dance and intertwine in different shapes.

The guided tour is as follows: after passing through the entrance, you enter a central courtyard with arcades, the walls of which are covered with frescoes glorifying the house of Challant and where you can see an old float used during the Carnival of Ivrea. Next, we enter the central body, arranged on two floors connected by a large staircase, where we can admire the kitchen, the arms room, the dining room, the reception room, the bedrooms of the counts and the chapel. In the chapel, a vast and refined cycle of frescoes depicts various religious scenes, including St. George rescuing the princess, the Wise Men, a crucifixion and the various members of the de Challant family praying under the protection of the Virgin Mary. Most of the frescoes in the castle are attributed to the painter Giacomo Jaquerio and his school (1414) and, to a lesser extent, to Giacomino da Ivrea (1434). The baron's room, one of the most important rooms in the manor, contains a large collection of centuries-old furniture decorated with the typical rosettes of the Alpine regions: most of them come from the Saluces and Queyras valleys. The visit concludes with a free tour inside the walls, where it is possible to admire the towers of different shapes and structures and all the architectural details that give the castle its particular shape.