Introd castle stands on a promontory protected by the harsh gorges of the Savara and the Dora di Rhêmes (in fact the name Introd derives from the term Interaquas, or entre-eaux in French, which means “between the waters”) and probably dates back to the 12th century.
Like Graines castle, originally, it probably consisted of a square keep surrounded by a perimeter wall. Around 1260 Pierre Sarriod of Introd transformed the early castle which, following the modifications of the 15th century became five-sided and almost circular in shape, setting it apart from other castles in Val d’Aosta. These transformations mark the apogee of the Sarriod family, which included the Lords of Introd and La Tour (Saint-Pierre).
The castle was heavily damaged by two fires during the second half of the 19th century and was rebuilt at the start of the 1900s by Gonella, who engaged the architect Chevalley. Today it is owned by the Counts Caracciolo of Brienza and rented out for free to the Municipality of Introd. The ground floor and castle gardens are open to the public.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.