Fort Bard - fortification complex, built in the 19th century by order of the House of Savoy on a rocky promontory above the small town of Bard in the Italian region of Val d'Aosta. After years of neglect, the fort was completely renovated in 2006, the year opened its doors to visitors as the Museum of the Alps with exhibition halls and galleries. A summer on the territory of its main courtyard held musical and theatrical performances.

Fort Bard, located at the entrance to the Aosta Valley, is a narrow gorge of the river Dora Baltea. For over a thousand years it has been used for the control of this historic road between Italy and France. Current fortifications were built on the orders of Charles Albert of Savoy between 1830 m and 1838 m over the years on the site of the castle of the 10th century, which in turn was built on the foundations of an ancient building of the 5th century. The castle was owned by powerful rulers Bard until the mid-13th century, and then became the property of the House of Savoy. It was during the last fort was strengthened and greatly modernized.

In May 1800 the year 40000th French army was stopped 400 of the Austro-Piedmontese troops at Fort Bard .  They kept this passage for two weeks, completely thwart Napoleon's surprise attack on the valley of the Po and the Turin .  Having learned of the defeat of his troops, Napoleon called the fort "evil castle Bard" and personally ordered demolish .  Only in 1830 the Sardinian King Charles Albert of Savoy, fearing further attacks by the French, decided to rebuild the fort .  This task was entrusted to the famous Italian military engineer Francesco Antonio Olivero .  As a result of these studies, which lasted eight years, was born two-tiered fort .  The upper part was the traditional wall with loopholes, and the bottom - 50 gun embrasures with individual casemates, designed to protect weapons in case of attack .  In total, 238-room fort could accommodate 416 soldiers .  The upper level also has a courtyard with armories and barracks .  Supplies of food and ammunition would last for three months siege . 

By the end of the 19th century Fort Bard lost its military significance and fell into disrepair, but the Italian army continued to use it as a gunpowder warehouse. After the closure of the fort in 1975, it became the property of the government of the autonomous region of Val d'Aosta, and in the 1980s became a tourist attraction of the valley, despite the fact that many of its design needed to be repaired. Only in the late 1990s, the fort was again closed, this time for reconstruction, after which it was converted into a museum of the Alps.