Châtel-Argent

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Châtel-Argent
Châtel-Argent by night

Châtel-Argent by night

Creation time : 1275
Castle type : Hilltop castle
Conservation status: ruin
Construction: Quarry stone
Place: Villeneuve
Geographical location 45 ° 42 '7.4 "  N , 7 ° 12' 40.5"  E Coordinates: 45 ° 42 '7.4 "  N , 7 ° 12' 40.5"  E
Height: 737  m slm
Châtel-Argent (Aosta Valley)
Châtel-Argent

Châtel-Argent is the ruin of a medieval hilltop castle that rises on a rock terrace with a view of the Dora Baltea in the municipality of Villeneuve in the Aosta Valley .

description

Floor plan of Châtel-Argent (Carlo Nigra)

The castle, which was not used as a residence, but was only used as a refuge by the fiefdom in case of danger, consists of a donjon , which is surrounded by other structures and protected by a triple wall ring.

The area that is now enclosed by the remains of the wall ring covers an area of ​​90 meters × 70 meters. It was calculated that it could accommodate up to 2,000 people, more than enough security guards to control the main valley from a strategic position.

In the building from the 13th century, the tower, the remains of a structure and a cistern can be found inside the wall ring at the highest point of the site . A chapel completed the complex.

The best preserved part, which also dominates the view of the complex, is the cylindrical donjon with a height of 16 meters and an outer diameter of 9.5 meters. Its door is 8 meters above the ground so that greater protection was provided in the event of an attack because the ladder that led to the door could be drawn in. The round shape of the tower, introduced in the Aosta Valley in the 12th century, guaranteed "a smaller perimeter to be defended per unit of surface".

Church of St. Kolumba

In front of the defensive structure is a small Romanesque castle church, which is dedicated to St. Kolumba ; it was built around 1050-1070. The church offers a rather archaic sight: the facade has three vertical mirrors crowned by sloping arches. The apse, which protrudes over the wall ring, is decorated with wall panels and arched friezes in brickwork .

history

The marble summit, on which the ruins of the castle rise, was already settled in prehistoric times (which is confirmed by the discovery of a prehistoric, human-like stele) and was gradually built on with a fortress during the time of the Salasser and later in Roman times ruled the valley.

Between the church of St. Kolumba and the castle there are traces of some Roman caves from Bardiglio , a silicate marble, as well as other caves from the following period, one of which, north of the ledge, was still in use in the 1830s and 1870s .

According to some scholars, the name “Châtel-Argent” was derived from the coin that was located there (the French word “Argent” means “money” in German). Recent research has confirmed that the toponym Castrum Argenteum was in use as early as 1175.

The ruins of the castle that are visible today date from the 13th century, the construction of the castle can be dated to the year 1275 and was designed by James of Saint Georges (French: Maître Jacques de Saint-Georges ), the architect of Count Peter II . of Savoy , planned. Unlike other castles in the Aosta Valley, Châtel-Argent was always under the jurisdiction of the House of Savoy , even if the Baronate Châtel-Argent had several masters: the Bards , the Challants , the Roncas and many others.

The ascending, asphalt road that leads from the outskirts of the village to the castle ruins is called "La rampa" (English: The ramp) and was probably carved into the rock in 1817 (an inscription in the stone confirms this year of construction) so that one can see the Church of St. Mary could achieve.

Today the castle ruins are open to the public and are managed by the Fondation Grand-Paradis , which organizes guided tours through the ruins and along a path that winds along the rocky promontory and is called "Vivre Châtel-Argent".

Gallery images

  • View of the Moors and the Donjon of Châtel-Argent

  • View of the Châtel-Argent from Castello Sarriod de la Tour from

  • Apse of the castle church

  • The castle church during restoration (2009)

  • "La rampa"

Individual references and comments

  1. ↑ Châtel-Argent . Grand Paradis Foundation. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  2. ↑ Châtel-Argent . Comune di Villeneuve. Archived from the original on January 27, 2010. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  3. ^ A b Francesco Corni: Valle d'Aosta medievale . Tipografia Testolin, Sarre 2005.
  4. ^ Guida rossa Torino e Valle d'Aosta . Touring Club Italiano, Milan 2005. p. 611.
  5. ↑ Châtel-Argent, like the Castello di Saint-Pierre , is located on a rock made of silicate marble .
  6. ^ A b Francesco Prinetti: Andar per sassi. Le rocce alpine fra natura e cultura. Valle d'Aosta, Canavese, Valsesia . Musumeci, Quart 2010. ISBN 978-88-7032-857-8 . P. 45.
  7. ^ Margherita Morra: Guida ai castelli della Val d'Aosta . Legenda, Novara 2001. ISBN 88-509-0050-3 . Pp. 109-111.
  8. ↑ Cave storiche e tecniche estrattive . In: Programma interuniversitario di Ricerca Scientifica - COFIN 2004 . LapideiCulurali.unifi.it. Archived from the original on September 3, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  9. ^ Maurizio Bergamini: Villeneuve . Inalto.org. September 23, 2008. Accessed July 3, 2020.
  10. ↑ a b Il castello di Châtel-Argent . Comune di Villeneuve. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  11. ↑ a b Châtel-Argent . Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  12. ↑ La Rampa . GiroParchi.it. Retrieved July 3, 2020.

swell

  • Guida rossa Torino e Valle d'Aosta . Touring Club Italiano, Milan 2005.
  • Margherita Morra: Guida ai castelli della Val d'Aosta . Legenda, Novara 2001. ISBN 88-509-0050-3 . Pp. 109-115.
  • Mauro Minola, Beppe Ronco: Valle d'Aosta. Castelli e fortificazioni . Macchione, Varese 2002. ISBN 88-8340-116-6 . P. 51.
  • André Zanotto: Castelli valdostani . Musumeci, Quart (1980) 2002. ISBN 88-7032-049-9 .
  • Francesco Prinetti: Andar per sassi. Le rocce alpine fra natura e cultura. Valle d'Aosta, Canavese, Valsesia . Musumeci, Quart 2010. ISBN 978-88-7032-857-8 .
  • Carlo Nigra: Torri e castelli e case forti del Piemonte dal 1000 al secolo XVI. La Valle d'Aosta . Musumeci, Quart 1974. pp. 40-44.
  • Villeneuve en Châtel-Argent . Duc, Aosta 1989
  • Francesco Corni: Valle d'Aosta medievale . Tipografia Testolin, Sarre 2005.

Web links

Commons : Châtel-Argent  - collection of images, videos and audio files