Heritage: Fénis

In the hamlet of Chénoz in the commune of Fénis, stands the house of the same name: a square-based tower with an internal spiral staircase, dating back to the 14th century and belonging to the noble De Tillier family.

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Unlike the other castles built for military and defence purposes Fénis castle is not situated on the top of a promontory, but rather on a small knoll. In contrast with the defence structure, its function was only to be the prestigious seat of the Challant family.
The castle’s many towers, which display surprising architectural harmony, were added by Aimone of Challant towards the middle of the 14th century to the existing turret, which had already been the residence of Viscount Gottfried II in the previous century. The castle belonged to the Fénis branch of the lords of Challant until 1716, when it was sold to Count Baldassarre Castellar of Saluzzo Paesana. There followed a period in which the castle’s prestigious function was dropped and it was turned into a rural dwelling: the ground-floor rooms were turned into stables, while the first floor was used a barn. It was purchased by Alfredo d’Andrade in 1895, who started restoration works that were completed by Mesturino. Today the castle is owned by the Regional Council.

It has a pentagonal layout; the corners have round towers, with the exception of the south-west corner, which has a massive tower and the southern corner with a square-plan tower. The keep is enclosed in a double perimeter wall, with watchtowers linked by a walkway. Access to the castle is gained via a square tower, which had a portcullis protecting the hallway in case of attack. The inner courtyard has a semicircular staircase and wooden balcony, and is decorated with exquisite frescoes featuring Saint George killing the dragon and a group of wisemen and prophets, holding scrolls on which you can see proverbs and moral maxims in ancient French, while the eastern wall features the Annunciation of Saint Christopher. These can be attributed to a painter close to the school of Jaquerio and date back to around 1425-30. On the ground floor it is possible to visit the weaponry, the dining room, the pantry, kitchen. study and tax-collector’s office. Worthy of note on the first floor are the chapel with a reception hall and the counts’ rooms.

The MAV is a museum devoted to traditional Valle d’Aosta craftsmanship.

The traditional craftsmanship of Valle d’Aosta carries within it a wealth of symbols, knowledge, identity values and extraordinary creative processes of which the objects created are the custodians.
Inaugurated in Fénis in 2009, this year, 2022, the museum has a renewed exhibition itinerary that takes visitors on an ideal journey which starts from memory and then continues with matter, form, gesture and beauty.

The first section presents the exhibition of the entire Brocherel Collection whose objects are told as producers of memory.
The second room, devoted to matter, instead investigates the close relationship between the territory and craftsmanship, between that craftsmanship and the matter it shapes.
The path then continues on with form, that which shapes objects in the encounter between craftsmanship and matter, and gesture, that is the pure manual skills of which the artisans are bearers, a unique intangible heritage of knowledge, without which there would be no object.
The new exhibition ends with a look at the avant-garde, at the ability of creation to go beyond its own time, and at beauty, as an individual, objective or social aesthetic judgment of a set of objects.

Agreement between the castle of Fenis and the MAV:
from 1 August the Museum ticket can be purchased at the price of € 2.00, in combination with the castle ticket, at the castle ticket office, the tourist offices or at the MIDA ticket office and is valid only on the day of issue.

*In order to keep up to date with all the initiatives and activities of the MAV, visit the web site indicated in the “Contacts” section.

*In order to learn more about craftmanship in Valle d’Aosta “read more”: /it/cultura/tradizione/artigianato