Issogne Castle

Location of the Gothic to Renaissance metamorphosis

When is it open: see the "for further information" section at the bottom of the page
What's not to be missed: the courtyard frescoes (lunettes), the Baron's hall, the King of France's room
Where is it: the chief town of Issogne
Why? Because it's worth it: a Renaissance castle that reveals artistic treasures

Historical notes
Owned by the Bishops of Aosta up to 1379, it was renovated and extended around 1400 by Ibleto of Challant. The current appearance of Issogne Castle developed between 1490 and 1510 under George of Challant, the prior of Sant' Orso, who renovated it and transformed it into a luxurious residence. After having many owners, it was bought by the artist Vittorio Avondo in 1872 who renovated it and gave it to the State. The castle now belongs to the Regional Council.

Description
You can enter the building through the courtyard, with crests overhead belonging to the Challant family and other families linked to it, with a famous central, pomegranate

fountain in cast iron. Continuing onwards, you come to the portico and the lunettes with frescoes of everyday life (XVI century).

The rooms open to visitors in the castle are:

on the ground floor: the dining room, the kitchen, the Baron's hall, where you can admire a beautiful, stone fireplace with the Challant crest alongside a lion and a griffin and painted, wooden beams on the ceiling and frescoes on the walls;

on the first floor: the chapel, with finely decorated, pointed arch vaults, with frescoes on the walls and a Gothic altar in carved, gilded wood, adorned with a Flemish triptych, the rooms belonging to the Countess and Count Renato;

on the second floor: the so-called “King of France's room”, with a coffered ceiling decorated with lilies and a fireplace with the French, Vallois dynasty shield, and the room called the "Knights of St. Maurice" with a beautiful, coffered ceiling with the Order's cross painted on it.