Top Historic Sights in Aosta, Italy
Explore the historic highlights of Aosta
Roman Theatre
The Roman Theatre in Aosta was built in the late reign of Augustus, some decades after the foundation of the city (25 BC), as testified by the presence of pre-existing structures in the area. There was also an amphitheatre, built during the reign of Claudius, located nearby. The theatre occupies three blocks annexed to the ancient city walls, along the Roman main road (the decumanus maximus, next to the Porta Pra ...
Founded: around 0-10 AD |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Porta Pretoria
Situated on the eastern section of the walls, Porta Pretoria provided the main access to the city of Augusta Praetoria. It was built in 25 BC after the defeat of the Salassians by Terenzio Varrone. It had three openings, which are still visible today: the central one for carriages and the side openings for pedestrians. The area inside the openings was used as a troop parade court, in its southern section, the land was du ...
Founded: 25 BC |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
San Lorenzo Church
Under the Aosta old parish church, archaeological diggings brought to light the early Christian cruciform basilica, indicated as Concilium Sanctorum, the Assembly of Saints because it was built on the tombs of some of the early martyrs who were buried in the Roman cemetery area which in itself was built on a protohistoric funeral settlement. Inside you can see parts of the liturgical structures, the relic platform wi ...
Founded: 5th century AD |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Sant'Orso Church
Sant"Orso had originally a single hall, delimited by a semicircular apse. It was entirely rebuilt during the 9th century, during the Carolingian age. Later, bishop Anselm of Aosta further renovated the church, introducing a basilica plan with three naves with wooden trusses. These were replaced by Gothic cross vaults in the 15th century. The church has a nave and two aisles divided by quadrangular pillars. T ...
Founded: 9th century |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Aosta Cathedral
Aosta Cathedral was originally built in the 4th century. In the 11th century the Palaeo-Christian structure was replaced by a new one, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist. The architecture of the cathedral was modified during the 15th and 16th century. The present façade, in Neoclassical style, was built between 1846 and 1848. The structures remaining from the Romanesque per ...
Founded: 11th century |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Regional Archaeological Museum
The upper floors of the Regional Archaeological Museum in Aosta house prestigious exhibitions. The building was founded in 1633 by the marquis Pierre-Philibert Roncas and by his wife Emérentienne de Vaudan. Towards the half of the 18th century the monastery assumed the present appearance. The paintings on the façade (of the 19th century) reproduce the coat of arms of the Savoy House and the portraits of the main charact ...
Founded: 1633 |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Arch of Augustus
The Arch of Augustus was erected in 25 BC on the occasion of the Roman victory over the Salassi and was the work of Aulus Terentius Varro Murena. Constructed from conglomerate, the arch has a single vault, with a height to the keystone of 11.4 metres. Its span is a barrel vault, constituting an extension in width of a round arch. In the monument, various styles can be recognised: The ten engaged columns which deco ...
Founded: 25 BC |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Pont de Pierre
The Pont de Pierre, meaning 'Stone Bridge', is a Roman segmental arch bridge in Aosta. The bridge crossed the Buthier about 600 m from the eastern exit of the Roman colony Augusta Praetoria; in later times the torrente changed its course, leaving the ancient bridge today without water. The structure is dated to the second half of the reign of Augustus (30 BC–14 AD), who had earlier founded the ...
Founded: 25 BC |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Saint-Martin-de-Corléans Megalithic Area
The Saint-Martin-de-Corléans Megalithic Area is an archaeological site that is considered of major importance for the study and knowledge of European prehistory and protohistory, located in Aosta, Italy. The site contains megalith dolmen and cist tombs, oriented alignments of holes in wooden poles and anthropomorphic stele dating back to the Neolithic era through the Bronze Age. The site was discovered in 1969 during t ...
Founded: 6000-3000 BCE |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Leper’s Tower
The Leper’s Tower was built on the ruins of an ancient Roman tower and was originally known as the Friour Tower, after the family that lived there. This family, whose name was mentioned for the first time in 1191, also occupied the Ports Decumana, now abandoned. After several changes of ownership, it was bought by the Order of Saint-Maurice in 1773 and was incorporated into a hospice of charity founded by Jean-Boni ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Bramafam Tower
Bramafam Tower stands at the corner of Via Bramafam and Viale G. Carducci, along the southern side of the Roman walls. Its official name is Bramafam Castle, but it is commonly referred to as the Tower. It has a circular rampart, with the Roman walls still visible at its base, and part of the tower which flanked Porta Principalis Dextera, on which it was constructed in around the 12-13th centuries. It belonged to the fa ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Aosta, Italy
Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings
Photo from Flickr, copyright barryprudom
Historic Site of the week
Krivoklát Castle
Křivoklát Castle was founded in the 12th century, belonging to the kings of Bohemia. During the reign of Přemysl Otakar II a large, monumental royal castle was built, later rebuilt by king Václav IV and later enlarged by king Vladislav of Jagellon.
The castle was damaged by fire several times. It was turned into a harsh prison and the building slowly deteriorated. During the 19th century, the family of Fürstenberg became the owners of the castle and had it reconstructed after a fire in 1826.
Today the castle serves as a museum, tourist destination and place for theatrical exhibitions. Collections of hunting weapons, Gothic paintings and books are stored there.