Our Blog - Fenis Castle, Aosta Valley, Italy

After emerging from the Mont Blanc tunnel in Italy, we decided to stop at one of the most famous castles in the Aosta Valley, Fénis Castle. The castle was first documented in 1242 as a property of the Viscounts of Aosta, and at that time, was probably a simple keep with walls around it. The castle was expanded between 1320 and 1420 to its current form.

The keep has a pentagonal layout, with towers at the corners. It is surrounded by a double boundary wall with battlements and by a series of watchtowers linked by a walkway. Despite its impressive defensive structure, the castle is not situated in a place where it would be easily defended and, in fact, was not built for military purposes but to serve as a prestigious residence.

You can only visit with a guided tour and while there was a guided tour leaving in about 10 minutes, puppies weren't allowed. However, the guide was nice enough to let me peek inside the front gate and take a few pictures.