Saint-Pierre Castle, located on a rocky outcrop, offers one of the most picturesque views of the Aosta Valley. It is portrayed in numerous old prints and in drawings by famous authors such as Turner and John Ruskin. The first official mention of the castle is in the Charte des Franchises, granted to Count Thomas I of Savoy in 1191. During successive centuries it was home to several Aosta Valley noble families, including Sancto Petro, Vuillet and Roncas, with each making changes to the building.
In 1873, Federico Bollati, Superintendent of the Turin State Archives, bought the castle and, upon gaining the title of baron of Saint-Pierre, undertook restoration work directed by the Canavese engineer Camillo Boggio. He transformed the structure into an authentic feudal Middle Ages icon of the Aosta Valley. It is in eclectic neo-Gothic style and, taking inspiration from the castles built on the rocky spurs of the Rhine valley in southern Germany, Boggio built the four turrets at the corners of the central tower. This image is still one of the most evocative sites of the entire fortified panorama in the Aosta Valley.
The castle is now the exhibition site of the Regional Natural Science Museum and offers the visitor a double visit itinerary: the history of the building, with the historical parts still visible, and the Natural Science Museum, a genuine journey through the Aosta Valley ecosystems. The nearby classroom has facilities for laboratories and activities for schools.
