Saint-Pierre Castle

On the road that climbs from Aosta towards Courmayeur, a castle with pointed turrets stands on a rock above the village of Saint-Pierre. You notice it at once as you drive past.

A 12th-century fort

The castle has existed since the 12th century. It was first a fortress, built for defence. It later served as a residence for the local lords. Later generations enlarged and altered it.

The 19th-century remodelling

Its present appearance dates from the 19th century. The castle was then transformed in the Gothic Revival style, very fashionable at the time. The turrets and the romantic look of the whole come from this work.

The medieval parts have not disappeared, however. You can still make out the old stone walls, the battlements and the mullioned windows, that is, windows divided by stone uprights. The building thus shows several periods of construction on one and the same rock.

Minerals, fossils and animals

For a long time the castle housed the Regional Museum of Natural Sciences. Its collections bring together minerals, fossils and animals of the local fauna. Visitors could thus walk through the rooms of the castle while discovering the natural history of the region.

Open doors on the rock

Restoration work has strengthened the building and improved facilities for visitors. The castle can be visited, and guides explain its history and architectural details. From the top of the rock, the view stretches away towards the head of the valley.