SAINT-PIERRE CASTLE

The castle of Saint-Pierre, mentioned for the first time in the 12th century (but the first construction probably dates back to an earlier period), was completely remodeled in the 19th century. It is situated about 20 km from Aosta, on a winding road that climbs up the steep mountain side, and dominates the homonymous village from the top of a pointed rock. Its characteristic shape, composed of a square tower ending in four round turrets, a main building built into the rock and an enclosure with loopholes, together with the adjacent church with its beautiful Romanesque bell tower, give the whole a fairy-tale look. Originally owned by the Roncas family, it was Baron Emanuele Bollati who, at the height of the Romantic era, gave it its current medieval appearance. It is visible from the village and the state road 26, but is currently closed for renovation. Inside, the castle houses the Regional Museum of Natural Sciences, which in its 9 rooms presents the different aspects of the Valle d'Aosta environment: mineralogy and geology, climate and glaciology, flora and fauna, ornithology, mammals and insects. It is currently being renovated and the whole collection should be revised to be presented in a fun and interactive way, for more modernity and attractiveness to young audiences. You can still admire it from the outside and find out about its forthcoming reopening.