Issogne Castle

Issogne Castle is a castle in Issogne in the Aosta region of north-west Italy.

History

The first document of the castle of Issogne dates back to year 1151, when a bull of Pope Eugene III documents the presence of a dominion of the bishop of Aosta in Issogne.

In the 1255 Issogne Castle was still under ecclesiastical control. In this year the bishop of Aosta, Pierre di Pra, regulated its relationships with the community and the cohabitation between the inhabitants of the territories of its dominion. This was not sufficient to guarantee peace in the dominions of the bishop, and in fact between 1280 and 1350, approximately, a sour conflict opposed the bishop to the lord of Verrès. This eventually blew up in 1379.

Ibleto of Verrès, around the end of the fourteenth century began the construction of a stronghold, replacing the damaged bishop's castle. More than a castle, it was an elegant gothic dwelling in contemporary style.

Ibleto died in 1409. In 1424 his son François di Challant, of the branch of Villas-Challand and Montjovet and lord of Issogne obtains from the Duke of Savoy the title it of first count of Issogne. In 1442, on his death leaving three daughters only, a struggle for the succession resulted. It concluded in 1456, in favour of Jacques of Aymaville, who became therefore the second count of Issogne.

Towards 1480, under the dominion of Louis di Challant, son of Jacques, they begin the jobs of sistemazione of the castle, and between the graffiti of the castle we find the testimony of the jobs in action in one wine cellar (1489 Jan Devalupe/to fait hollow de ce/chateaus pour/the 20 florin ).

In 1487 Louis di Challant dies leaving the two young sons Philibert and Charles, of which cousins of Louis- and vedova the Marguerite is name tutors the priore George di Challant-Varey - de the Chambre. In this period the jobs to the castle proceed with great fervor, a lot that year 1494, second the news brought back from Computa Priorati Sancti Ursi, is that one in which the jobs carried out to the castle of Issogne they catch up their maximum development; when George di Challant dies, in 1509, the jobs are by now finish to you and the getlteman of the castle is Philibert, than he inhabits with to the moglie Louise d' Aarberg and the René son. He is just under the dominion of René di Challant, than in 1528 he will take in spouse Manzia di Braganza, than the castle he assumes the aspect of one short rich and refined definitively, with all the furnishings, the described suppellettili and the stoffe precious in the inventory written up in 1565 after the dead women of René.In same noble year 1565 the Madruzzo, of the family of the prìncipi and the bishops of Trento, subentrano to René di Challant in virtue of the wedding between Giovanni Federico di Madruzzo and Isabella di Challant, daughter of René. This fact triggers ire of the cousinses the males of Isabelle, than they are opposed to the inusitata succession for feminine line and gives place to a litigation that will have single term in 1696. At the same time the Madruzzo descendancys are get exaustedded in the 1658 with the dead women of Carl Emanuele bishop of Trento and the inheritance, contesa from more parts, is up finally to Henry de Lenoncourt; and also the dynasty of Lenoncourt finishes short, in 1693, with the dead women of Charles-Joseph-Louis, and the possessions legacies to the title it of conte of Issogne pass to the sister Cristina Maurizia of the Carretto di Balestrina.But as we have pointed out poc' indeed, 1696 finally see the end of the process, lasted 131 years, that it has contrapposto the descendants of the Madruzzo and the cousinses of Isabella di Challant: the litigation is gained from these last ones, for which of the Carretto di Balestrina they must give back the inheritance of conte the René to the barons of Challant-Châtillon.

A later century, in 1796, dies François Maurice, the last one conte of Challant, and since figlioletto the Jules-Hyacinthe morirà in 1802 in tender age, the descendancys in the first place get exausteds and begins a period of forfeiture, marked from a National Guard who in 1800 embezzles furnishings and suppellettili.From 1841, with the dead women of Gabriella di Canalis di Cumiana, vedova of François Maurice di Challant, the castle passes to its second husband, conte the Amédée-Louis Passerin d' Entrèves.In the 1862 castle of Issogne, by now lacking in the signorili rights, it comes acquired, with to that one of Verrès, from Alexandre Gaspard di Châtillon, than averse a part of the original furnishings and yields the castle, in 1869, to the baron Marius de Vautheleret, engaged French engineer in the study of the railway connection between Aosta and Ivrea; but these fail and in the 1872 castle it is put to the acquired auction and from Turinese painter Vittorio Avondo, than it is engaged in the architectonic restoration of the castle and in the riallestimento of the inner ones with original furnishings or copies purposely commissioned.

In the 1907 Avondo, reserving itself some the usufrutto, it donates the castle of Issogne to the Italian state, than of it it becomes owner to all the effects to the dead women of Avondo, 9 December 1910.

In 1935 the minister of the National Instruction Old Cesar De Maria promotes of the participations of restoration that involve heavy ridipinture of fresco of the oratories and the nail head. In 1948, to continuation of the approval of the special charter of the Region they of Aosta Goes, the castle of Issogne becomes property regional. In biennium 1996-1998 the inner ones of the castle come second riallestiti the intentional order from Vittorio Avondo, reconstructed based on photo of age and to the inventories written up in 1907 and 1911; they come also puts into effect participations of restoration and maintenance to you of furnishings and suppellettili, and some architectonic elements, and entirety they come studies technical systems to you answering to the enforced norms of emergency, let alone a lighting system system face to the valorization of atmospheres. At the same time it comes given the way to the complex geometric relief of the tree of Fontana: currently in the court original Fontana is still present, than but copy will have to be replaced from one in order to concur of the restoration. It is not still clear if, once finished the participation of restoration, the tree originates will be conserved them in museum to Aosta or if it is brought back to Issogne.