Heritage: ** Valle d'Aosta **

Site included in the Aosta archeologica cumulative ticket

Under the village’s 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 with the tombs of three bishops who lived between the V and VI centuries (Grato, Agnello, Gallo) and other tomb chambers dating from between the V and VIII centuries.

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One of the most interesting prehistoric archaeological sites in Europe but also a place where history has continued to leave evidence even in subsequent centuries. Come to Aosta and take advantage of the museum's initiatives and guided tours and discover all the technological innovations of the recent museum setup.  12,000 square metres of exhibition space, over 2,000 objects, and inside the largest covered archaeological site in Europe.

The archaeological site

The area, brought to light in 1969, measures approximately one hectare, and is one of the most interesting archaeological sites in Europe, offering a fascinating overview of significant moments stretching across almost 5000 years of history, from the late Stone Age up to the present.

The term megalithic area has been used as a summary description of the finds in Aosta, which has currently no equal, and can only be compared - albeit partially - with the site at Sion, Petit-Chasseur, in Switzerland.

“Megalithic area” refers to a portion of land of a certain, clearly defined size, featuring a variety of different megalithic monuments.
This site is more than just a simple line-up of menhirs or standing stones featuring human figures, or a burial ground, or a series of individual dolmen tombs: these finds demonstrate the existence of a sacred area destined from its origins to hosting recurring activities linked to worship and burial.

Five structural phases have been identified, from the Recent Neolithic (end of the 5th millennium B.C.) through the Copper Age (4th - 3rd millennium B.C.) to the Bronze Age (2nd millennium B.C.).

Initially conceived as an open-air sanctuary destined for the cult of the living, it was not until the latter centuries of the 3rd millennium that it became an important burial ground, with monumental tombs of a variety of megalithic types.

In chronological order, visitors can observe: traces of a propitiatory furrow ritually sown (end of the 5th millennium B.C.), followed by the creation of a line of wells, at the bottom of which are ritual offerings such a millstones, along with the remains of fruit and cereals.

From a later point in time (beginning of the 3rd millennium B.C.) was a line of at least 24 wooden totem poles facing from North East to South West, later replaced by 46 huge anthropomorphic steles, the first authentic manifestation of in this area of megalithism, magnificent masterworks of prehistoric statue construction.

The area took on a clear burial function with the construction of the first megalithic tombs, which were probably occupied by distinguished families from the community and were built entirely above ground. A particularly significant example is the so-called “Tomb 2”, erected on a distinctive triangular platform of stones, used for almost a thousand years as a collective tomb and containing the remains of 39 individuals.

The museum

Visiting the museum implies a trip back from the present day into the prehistorical age: along a route dotted with images referring to human history, the walkways that set out from the entrance to the museum take visitors down to the level of the actual archaeological site (about 6 metres below road level).

The view here is striking as visitors explore the dimensions of time, the tones of the light colour the environment that envelops the archaeological finds: the dolmen, the standing stones brought down, the platform, the traces of the grooves ploughed…

The visitor route constantly looks out onto the archaeological site, in a sort of on-going dialogue between the indoors (the museum) and the outdoors (the site). Explanations, further details and interpretations can be found on the learning and multimedia supports.

Not to be missed:

• the suggestive ramp of time enriched by three-dimensional elements
• the astonishing Immersive room
• the large hall of steles where you can admire 46 anthropomorphic stelae found on the site
• The section dedicated to Protohistory which illustrates the great changes that occurred in the area at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC, when the agricultural function took over the funerary one: numerous human footprints can be observed imprinted in the plowed land found on the occasion of the most recent archaeological excavations. Furthermore, in this space you can appreciate the large funerary mound from the Iron Age (1st millennium BC) with its original walking surface
• on the upper floor the protagonist is the Roman era divided into two sections: one dedicated to daily life in a rustic environment, and the other to the necropolises excavated over the years along the road, below the parish church and the nursery school; here there are 20 tombs characterized by very rich grave goods, as well as very different funerary practices and rituals in terms of chronology and typology
•  the medieval section concludes the visit itinerary by presenting evidence relating to the small Romanesque church of Saint Martin.

There is also an area dedicated to temporary exhibitions and a conference room.

Several important cultural, scientific and political figures from Valle d’Aosta who died between the first half of the Nineteenth century and the early decades of the XX century are buried in the old cemetery in the village of Sant’Orso.
There is a neogothic chapel there that was built towards the middle of the XIX century by the Counts of Castigliole who had their family tomb there.

These are rocks or stones where small concave holes in the shape of a cup have been carved with either hard stones or metal awls. These prehistoric findings date back to the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. It is still unclear what these carvings were used for: some experts believe that the hollowed out stones were used for religious and propitiatory rites. In the Hône area, the hollowed out stones are located in Montoulin (900m) and in Plan Priod (465m).

The excavations begun in 2003 to identify the protohistoric settlement located at the foot of the rocky pyramid of Mont Tantané were followed by six search campaigns - until 2010 - and are still far from being complete.
Interesting legendary traditions refer to this site, locally known as Le Reparé du Tantané.
The settlement of Mont Tantané is made up of two different and contiguous groups of huts, separated by a short slope. The upper group (“morena” [moraine], 2441 m above sea level), presents a series of 25 adjoining huts, aligned roughly north-south direction, and has a valley bordered by two moraine ridges at the foot of the scree slope of Mont Tantané. The lower range (“abitato” [settlement], 2425-79 m above sea level) is placed on a large terraced hillside sloping down to the north. Excavations so far have revealed 10 huts on the terraced summit of the town and 3 huts on the terrace immediately below. It is estimated that the whole of the town could include about fifty huts, a much larger number than the higher group of the moraine. On the whole it’s a very considerable settlement, because of the altitude of its location.
The huts were built in dry walls, using elongated blocks of about 60 cm. Their shape is very variable, from square to rectangular, oval, circular, polygonal. They are usually adjacent, to form small groups or arrays. It is not yet clear the type of their coverage, which was probably wooden.
The archaeological remains found in the huts include pottery, tools made by ollare stone, iron, bronze and some Celtic coins. There are also wooden objects and abundant testimonies of edible seeds (cereals, legumes). These remains allow us to date the abandonment of the settlement to the first century BC, which is the final phase of the Iron Age, while at the present state of research, the period of its foundation is not known yet.
However, the biggest question about this high altitude seasonal settlement is about its function, apart from those of mountain pasture; some economic activities have probably developed in relation to the resources on the site, but military-strategic, land control or shelter functions cannot be excluded.

The structure brought to light in Lignan is commonly regarded as a fortified village from the Bronze age.

Situated on a rocky hill, at an altitude of 1,546 meters overhanging the Saint-Barthélemy valley, it is a typical example of a naturally fortified place chosen as a settlement in the pre-Roman age.
The entire elliptical area, approximately 60 meters long, was used for the construction of dry masonry structures. A continuous perimeter wall follows the edge of the overhang.

The site can be reached in about 10 minutes on foot with a marked path along the Regional Road 36 which climbs from Nus to Saint-Barthélémy, the visit is free.

The archaeological site beneath the parish church of Saint-Vincent is testimony to a continuous occupation starting from the first settlements dating back to the Late Bronze Age / Iron Age. In Roman times (2nd- 4th centuries AD), various buildings with a thermal function were discovered.
After the beginning of the 5th century AD, the area was occupied by tombs, typical of early Christianity, that were positioned from east to west.
Their presence seems to have led to the foundation of a first funerary building. Further stages of burial followed in the 7th and 8th centuries, prior to the erection of the Romanesque church.

Visitors can discover the site using a didactic route fitted with information panels and multimedia support.

This monument-home is located in Ayez, a short distance from the chief town.Dating back to the XV century, it is entirely made of stone and built almost without the use of mortar.The building has some interesting stone-worked windows, with the characteristic upside-down keel motif.

Ancient aqueduct at the top of the hamlet of Navillod that can be reached from the hamlet of Grand Moulin by following pathway no. 105.

A building, rich in architectural elements, located in via Porta Praetoria 42-52, built at the beginning of the XVIII century by François René of Nus (in fact it was called “Palace of the Nus barons”). During the building of the Hôtel de Ville (1836 - 1842) it was the location of the administrative offices of Aosta.

Private - only the hall may be visited.

Located in Via des Sales, 3, the bishop’s palace, renovated at the end of the nineteenth century, is connected to the Santa Maria Assunta cathedral by a gallery, whose building began in 1667 and finished about one century later.
Public Audiences, the periodical court held by the Dukes of Savoy, were held in the parlour called the “di Cognia” room between 1222 and 1466.
Another room houses frescoed medallions with the portraits of the bishops of Aosta.

In the hamlet of Porossan, in Chiou stands a magnificent aqueduct-bridge across the “ru Prévôt” canal. It is a magnificent construction in partially plastered stone and lime, stretching approximately 70 metres in length, that allows the canal to flow through the valley below, where the river Parléaz runs, between the villages of Neyves and Serod (Porossan) in Aosta. The bridge gives off a feeling of grandness due both to its stone roof and because of some windows that light up inside making the inside visible.

The “rus” are canals that carry water to the driest parts of the region.
This vast network of canals, the most complete and well organised in the Alpine range, dates back to Medieval times, from the beginning of the XIII century to the end of the XV century, when the warm, dry climate and poor rainfall made it essential to set up new irrigation structures. The rus pass through forests, meadows and hills and head down towards the main valley, sending water drawn from the upper flow of rivers towards the inhabited areas and making the mountainous ridges fertile.

The Ru Prévôt takes its name from the Cathedral provost, Enrico di Quart who had it built in 1288 and includes the 70 metre long Porossan aqueduct on its trail, described by the abbé Henry, historian, writer and mountaineer, as “one of the most beautiful monuments preserved from Medieval times”.

It is the western addition (towards the left, looking at the facade) of the Municipality of Aosta.The structure was built in 1724 (therefore prior to the Municipality); inside this building meetings of the State General Assembly were held, presided by the Bishop and by the Knight Commander. The “Conseil des Commis” would also meet and the archives of the Duchy of Aosta were held inside.

Currently the building holds a few municipal offices and some temporary exhibitions.

The site is not accessible to people with disabilities.

Located on the square with the same name, the palace was commissioned in 1606 by Pierre-Léonard Roncas, first secretary of state of the Duke of Savoy,Charles Emanuel I. It later became the seat of the Savoy administration, a sub-prefecture during the Napoleon era and, lastly, an intendance office.
The vaults in the atrium, over the staircase and room that overlook the internal courtyard, are decorated with Italian school frescoes depicting mythological scenes and nature and with zodiac signs, in manneristic style.

The palace it’s not visitable.

According to tradition, this building, located in via Sant’Anselmo 66, saw the birth of Anselmo d’Aosta (1033-1109), who became abbot of the Bec monastery in Normandy and then archbishop of Canterbury in England. Anselmo d’Aosta is famous for being a theologian and philosopher; his name is particularly tied to the “ontological” proof of the existence of God.

Private property - Not visitable.

The large Neo-Classic porticoed building was erected in 1839 on the site of the Cordeliers Franciscan monastery, seriously damaged by French revolutionary troops.
The two fountains on the facade symbolise the city’s two waterways, the Dora Baltea and the Buthier.
The square in the front, now dedicated to Emile Chanoux, martyr of the Resistance, was created by demolishing the church of St. Francis, connected to the monastery.
The staircase and atrium which houses a valuable model of the Valle d’Aosta, can be visited during town office opening hours.

The Echallod Bridge is a stone pedestrian bridge, one of the most picturesque in the Aosta Valley region.

Restored several times over the centuries, it connects the hamlets of upper and lower Echallod to the other villages of the municipality of Arnad, located on the left bank of the Dora Baltea river.

The symmetrical humpback structure rests on three arches supported by sturdy buttresses. On the right shoulder there is a small chapel to protect travellers.
You cross this bridge when you walk along the Cammino Balteo hiking itinerary which here overlaps the route of the Via Francigena.

The village includes the Ohta house-fort, an interesting manor compound built around a significantly large Late Medieval tower with walls over two metres thick and an entrance about 8 metres off the ground. In the fourteenth century, the village was most probably enclosed by a curtain wall or by the connecting surrounding houses. In fact, the men of Arnad were granted concessions in 1321 by Amedeo di Vallaise including the lord’s right to order improvements to the village walls. In addition to some houses that belonged to local lords, which still present “noble” traits, there are many homes owned by the aristocracy, notaries and chamberlains which preserve valuable architectural details such as ample parlours, large fireplaces and graceful “viret or tornette”.

The hamlet of Leverogne presents an interesting urban development of the medieval village, with several noteworthy buildings. The village bridge was an obligatory passage to cross the gorge on the stream and access the Valgrisenche and the Col du Mont, a privileged connection between the Aosta Valley and the Maurienne.
Leverogne was, therefore, a place of transit for pilgrims, traders and adventurers.

In 1368, with the specific aim of welcoming pilgrims, Pierre Socquier founded a hospice that offered a kitchen, a bedroom and a cellar.
Even today, on the facade of the ancient house, we can admire the fifteenth-century pictorial cycle of the "Works of Mercy" that were put into practice by offering a plate of soup and a bed to wayfarers.

Going up the course of the Dora di Valgrisenche stream, you can still find the remains of a Roman bridge.

Leverogne also preserves a painful memory of more recent history.
On September 13, 1944, a violent Nazi-Fascist reprisal tragically marked this place, causing the death of 13 innocent people and leading to the destruction of a significant part of the town of Leverogne, in addition to the almost total devastation of the villages of Rochefort and Chez-les-Garin. An event that remains etched in the collective memory, as a testimony to the sacrifice and resistance of a territory.

In the Pos locality of the village of Ozein stands an ancient building with a round tower, the Tornalla. It is a 15th century stronghold with a spiral staircase which is also commonly called the “Bishop’s house” but it is not clear where this definition comes from.
The privately owned building is now in ruins and can be reached by taking the small road on the left of the Church of Ozein.

Challant House
Built towards the end of the fifteenth century, it is located in the Medieval village of Bard. The house was home to Count Filiberto di Challand, lord of Bard between 1487 and 1517. It features lancet windows and other pointed windows.

Nicole House
Partially built over the western gate to the Bard village, the building facade preserves signs of bullets shot during the assault on the Bard fortress by Napoleon’s army in May 1800. The building creates a tower whose top is adorned by the chapel’s quatrefoil window. The chapel was frescoed by painter Giovanni Antonio di Biella.

Valperga House
Dating back to the sixteenth century, this house has interesting pointed windows and the remains of pictorial decorations. A twin lancet window and the remains of frescoes that depict ancient coats of arms, including that of the Valperga family, are found at the centre.

The upper Bionaz valley’s landscape changed between 1961 and 1965 due to the construction of the enormous Place Moulin dam. The dam create Lake Prarayer, an artificial basin nestled between the mountains. In the background you can see le Petites and les Grandes Murailles with their impressive glaciers.

This is the largest water basin in the region and one of the largest dams in Europe. Just a quick look at the structure’s statistics gives an idea of its phenomenal aspect:

• the dam is 155 metres high and 678 metres long
• maximum dam thickness at the base is 47 metres thinning to 6 metres thick at the top
• 1,510,000 cubic metres of cement were used to build the dam
• the maximum level reached by water is 1,969 m a.s.l.
• 105 million cubic metre is the dam capacity.

The dam exterior is always open to the public, but upon reservation it is possible to enjoy a guided tour inside in the period from May to September. The dam can be inspected on several levels that lower even under the lake waters and are connected by stairs and an elevator. Numerous machines and equipment tied to dam operations and safety controls are to be found inside.

The Breuil mountain pasture, named Cervinia, became one of the leading ski resorts in 1935. The first buildings dotted the area in panoramic positions. Building resumed in the 50’s and led to the construction of two buildings emblematic of mountain construction: the Pirovano hut by Franco Albini and the Casa del Sole by Carlo Molino.

The Casa del Sole stands out for its breathtaking height which is covered by a full and dark volume, a true villa on the roof. The south side appears divided by long balconies that progressively protrude from the higher floors.

Buildings like the Cielo Alto and Giomein complex were erected in the 60/70’s. The Giomein is a continuous building that develops in a rose around the hotel “core”. The apartment block and stores are connected to it. The entire complex is formally characterised by a vertical organ pipe escalation. Copper was used for the roof and either stone or larch wood for the walls. The Cielo Alto ski-total station is divided in three distinct cores: The complex is made up of a series of buildings on the side of the road that climbs forever higher. The lower hotel block follows an interesting concave curve, another block has an undulating profile and the last two blocks are practically cylindric. Essentially two materials were used: cement for the facades exposed to the elements and wood for protected parts.

The Pirovano hut freely reflects the construction style of the rural hayloft, the rascard, highlighting the large conic stone columns that support the top of the construction with mushroom shaped shims. The streamline wooden structures rationally interpret the severity of their muses.

Yonzo house, currently the town library, is in the centre of the village. It was a farmhouse that included both living quarters and rooms for farming activities in addition to a shop and a “Poor house”. From the architectural standpoint, its layout, size, wealth of decorative elements and passageways between the various levels stands it apart from other village buildings.
The most beautiful room is the covered courtyard surmounted by a beautiful wooden balcony. The balcony and the courtyard, highly visible even from the exterior, the column with painting, the beautiful wooden cross, the large lowered arch that surmounts the ancient entryway and the predominance of open spaces make the western facade architecturally unique.

The water of the hamlet of Ruvère, that rises along the banks of the Evançon at the entrance to the Chasten valley, was used to operate the mills for the grinding of grains and for the making of walnut oil.
A completely renovated windmill reminds us of this activity. During the summer months tours of the windmill are available and exhibits are also held (for more information on the availabilities of the exhibits it is necessary to send a request to the municipal offices).