The Castle of Exilles - The Prison of the Man in the Iron Mask
The Castle of Exilles in Piedmont is located in an area of Piedmont considered of extreme strategic importance dating back to before Roman times. The castle defended the key way from Piedmont to Provence via Monginevro. The original castle construction dates back to 1155 when the count of Albon wished to exercise control over the western reaches of his kingdom. Between 1494 and 1496 the castle became an important arsenal of arms and ammunition, leading to the partial destruction of the gothic entrance in order to enable them to bring into the castle all the arms and ammo. In 1601, with the adjusting of the Savoy border, the castle was further modernized by the engineer Jean de Beins in order to better resist artillery fire. The castle was virtually destroyed by the French in 1796 and it was subsequently reconstructed in 1818. The castle was used by the military even up until the end of WW2. Its decline since then was stopped and reversed through the restoration efforts of the Regione Piedmont. The castle is now open by appointment and with a registered guide. The tour of the castle is indeed fascinating.
Size: 4275px × 2727px
Location: Exilles Piedmont Italy
Photo credit: © QEDimages / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: castle, defence, di, exilles, fortification, fortress, iron, italian, italy, man, mask, pass, piedmont, pilgrims, prison, route, susa, val
