The medieval castle Castello di Fenis is in the small town of Fenis about 13 km from Aosta, the center of the Italian autonomous region of Val d'Aosta. This is one of the most famous castles of the valley - it is remarkable for its architecture, numerous towers and thick walls with loopholes. Because of this Castello di Fenis consistently popular tourist destination.

The first mention of the castle belongs to the year 1242 - when it was the property of the viscounts of Aosta Challand family. Perhaps at that time he was a simple tower surrounded by walls. And the 1320-th to 1420-th years on the initiative of Aimone of Challant and his son Boniface I, the castle was considerably expanded and acquired its present appearance.

At Castello di Fénis Aimone received a pentagonal shape, but then were lined up outside the defensive walls and many of the towers. In 1392, the year Boniface started the second building campaign - were then constructed a staircase and balcony in the courtyard and prison. He invited the artist from Piedmont Giacomo Jacquerie for painting the walls of the chapel and the patio. That's when Boniface Castle experienced its greatest period of prosperity - it was luxurious building surrounded by gardens, vineyards and parks where walking lords and their guests.

Castello di Fénis belonged to the family of Challant until 1716, the year when one of the members of the genus, Georges Francois de Challand, was forced to sell the estate for debts. Thus began a period of decline the castle - it has turned into an ordinary rural residence, and later it housed the stables and barn. Only in 1895, he bought the castle architect Alfredo d'Andrade, at whose initiative began large-scale reconstruction of the building. In 1935, De Vecchi and Mesturino again restored the castle and gave it its present appearance. In those same years, the rooms were furnished with period furniture.

Today, Castello de Fenice is owned by the Regional Council of Valle d'Aosta, who turned it into a museum. The main dungeon of the castle has a pentagon shape with towers at the corners. It is surrounded by a double defensive wall and a number of watchtowers, interconnected passages. Despite its rather menacing look, Castello di Fenis stands on top of a tiny hill, not on the cape or any other remote point - because the family Challand build it, not as a military fortress, but as his residence.

In the courtyard, in the center of the keep, you can see a semicircular stone staircase and wooden balconies. At the top of the ladder is placed fresco from the 15th century depicting Saint George defeating the dragon, and the walls are decorated with images of balconies sages and wise men, and saying in Old French. The castle is divided into three floors: the first is an armory, a kitchen, a shed for storing firewood and tanks to collect rainwater. The second floor has been given over to private quarters of the owners of the castle. There's also built a small chapel with frescoes by Giacomo Jacquerie. Finally, on the third floor of the servants lived - Today the access to it is closed.