Visit Saint-Pierre Castle - The Prettiest In The Valle D'Aosta

Italy is utterly inundated by beautiful, fairy-tale castles in the most picturesque of settings. Yet, in the Aosta Valley, or Valle D'Aosta, in the north-west of Italy, there is one that particularly stands out and must be among the most lovely. Saint-Pierre Castle in the town of Saint-Pierre rises above the rest of the town on a little rocky outcrop at the centre of the valley. It is the first thing that your eyes are drawn to upon entering the area and offers wonderful views all around. The castle itself looks like something pulled right from the pages of your favourite childhood tale or from the frames of a Disney movie. If you find a vacation rental in Valle D'Aosta, you can stop by the charming little town and see this dream-like building for yourself.

Saint-Pierre Castle has origins going back to at least the 12th century when records mention the owners of the castle. The famous Charter of Liberties, or Carta delle Franchigie, of 1191 contains the names of the brothers “de castro Sancti Petri”, who are acknowledged as the joint owners of part of the castle. The earliest parts of the structure date back to this period though the appearance as it is today dates to later periods of reconstruction.

The original building consisted of two distinct parts, the fortified house and the tower, which were later joined by additions for civil and military use, according to the needs or desires of various occupants.

In the 17th century, the castle underwent a number of modifications. It also changed hands on numerous occasions over the years. Over the centuries, the castle belonged to several lordships including the lords of Quart, the Duke of Savoia and the Challant family. It was the Roncas who acquired the property in the early 1600s and enlarged the complex and bedecked the interiors as was fitting of something that had gone from feudal fortress to palatial castle.

After this the castle became neglected by its subsequent owners and it was only in 1873 that its last owner intervened in this decaying.


With the architect, Camillo Boggio, he restored the castle, though through large changes not through preservation as is the standard for such things today. His own tastes are apparent in the present incarnation, somewhere between the Romantic and the Decadent and probably inspired by Bavarian castles. It was during this time that the iconic four round towers at the corners (which were built purely for decorative purposes) were added which give it its Disney-like appearance.

The castle consists of nine rooms that retain a typically medieval character. The castle is now owned by the Municipality of Saint Pierre, and serves as the headquarters of the Regional Natural Science Museum. However, it is currently closed for extensive renovation. Although you cannot gain access to the interior, the exterior is more than reason enough to visit this corner of the Aosta Valley.