The first fortified nucleus, on the rock to the hydrographic right of the Dora river, was already documented in 1155, when the counts of Albon held strategic, military and trading control, on the road towards Montgenèvre (Monginevro), and Exilles represented the furthest eastern boundary of the princedom. In 1339 the castle already presented a complex structure: it was
a rare example of a 'roadside castle'. During the second half of the 16th century, the castle was for long contested by opposing Catholic and Reformed factions that aspired to control the Dauphinè that lay on both sides of the Alps. For a long time, after the Peace of Lyons in 1601, the Fort was no longer the object of internal struggles or attempted occupation by the dukes of Savoy, now politically aligned with the French court. In 1708, within the ambit of the War of Succession of Spain, the armies of Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy succeeded in gaining control of the Valley of Bardonecchia and, descending the valley, in taking the Fort. The Piedmontese conquests of the Alpine valleys of the Dora and the Chisone, with the consequent passage under the sovereignty of the Savoys, sanctioned by the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, determined a new strategic position for the Savoy state. The fortified stronghold of Exilles underwent great restructuring and modernising, including switching the defensive front towards France. During the second half of the 18th century, further transformations were made following the proposals of Pinto di Barri.
The Fort was reconstructed in line with a remarkable synthesis between defensive and logistic layouts, with the creation of independent, self-sufficient blocks in a defensive progression. Razed by the French after the Treaty of Paris of 15 May 1796, the Fort was rebuilt as we see it today between 1818 and 1829 by the king of Sardinia, who had returned in full possession of his properties. Built to a design by captains G. A. Rana and A. Oliviero of the Engineer Corps, the present Fort follows the formal and defensive outlines of the 18th-century fort, updated with 19th-century military technology.
a rare example of a 'roadside castle'. During the second half of the 16th century, the castle was for long contested by opposing Catholic and Reformed factions that aspired to control the Dauphinè that lay on both sides of the Alps. For a long time, after the Peace of Lyons in 1601, the Fort was no longer the object of internal struggles or attempted occupation by the dukes of Savoy, now politically aligned with the French court. In 1708, within the ambit of the War of Succession of Spain, the armies of Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy succeeded in gaining control of the Valley of Bardonecchia and, descending the valley, in taking the Fort. The Piedmontese conquests of the Alpine valleys of the Dora and the Chisone, with the consequent passage under the sovereignty of the Savoys, sanctioned by the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, determined a new strategic position for the Savoy state. The fortified stronghold of Exilles underwent great restructuring and modernising, including switching the defensive front towards France. During the second half of the 18th century, further transformations were made following the proposals of Pinto di Barri.
The Fort was reconstructed in line with a remarkable synthesis between defensive and logistic layouts, with the creation of independent, self-sufficient blocks in a defensive progression. Razed by the French after the Treaty of Paris of 15 May 1796, the Fort was rebuilt as we see it today between 1818 and 1829 by the king of Sardinia, who had returned in full possession of his properties. Built to a design by captains G. A. Rana and A. Oliviero of the Engineer Corps, the present Fort follows the formal and defensive outlines of the 18th-century fort, updated with 19th-century military technology.
After 8 September 1943 the Fort was abandoned; no longer protected by military garrisons, over the years everything that could be removed was plundered: from wooden window-frames to water pipes, electric cables to flooring. This abandonment and total lack of maintenance led to progressive disrepair and ruin. In 1978 the Piedmont Region acquired the monument on gratuitous loan from the Military Property Office, on the condition that it would restore the building. Plans for conservative restoration, both inside and out, were quickly drafted, which aimed to establish an overall condition for the Fort that would be a global reference point for all subsequent interventions. In April 1996 a convention was stipulated between the Piedmont Region and the Museo Nazionale della Montagna of Turin to enhance and promote the Fort of Exilles. This was an important step, within a collaboration initiated between the two bodies in 1995, that decreed their joint commitment to perfect a trend for the overall image and a cultural management plan for the building.
The monument and its museum areas were opened to the
public on 8 July 2000.
The monument and its museum areas were opened to the
public on 8 July 2000.
