Chiesa di Sant’Orso

The basics

Set in the heart of Aosta’s old town, the Chiesa di Sant’Orso offers a fascinating glimpse into the city’s medieval past. A highlight of walking or cycling tours, this complex is an architectural treasure trove, with a facade and bell tower dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, as well as 15th-century interior decorations. Its crown jewel, however, is the Romanesque cloister next door, with its central courtyard lined with columns topped by carved capitals that are considered among the finest examples of Romanesque religious sculpture in Italy.

Things to know before you go

• The church and cloister are part of an active monastery, so dress modestly and be respectful of worshipers when visiting.

• The church is free to visit, but there is a small fee to visit the cloister, church attic with its fragments of 12th-century frescoes, and chapel of the adjacent Priory of Saint Ursus, decorated in frescoes dating from the 15th century.

• The intricately carved column capitals in the cloister make for unique photos, so be ready with a charged camera.

• Chiesa di Sant’Orso and the adjoining cloister are partially accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

How to get there

The Chiesa di Sant’Orso is in Aosta’s old town, an easy walk from the city’s train station and its top sights. Aosta can be reached by direct train from Turin and is less than a 2-hour drive from Milan.

When to get there

The complex is open daily, from morning to late afternoon in the winter, and until the early evening in the summer. If you’re in town on a rainy or snowy day, when the area’s trails and ski runs are closed, this is an ideal place to visit.

Highlights of the Chiesa di Sant’Orso

The Sant’Orso complex spans centuries of architectural and artistic styles, and is home to several unique pieces that deserve extra attention. Don’t miss the 12th-century mosaic depicting Samson killing the lion, or the lavish wooden Renaissance choir inside the church. Just above, in the space between the original roof and the existing ceiling that was lowered in the 15th century, you can admire remnants of 12th-century frescoes. Next door, the column capitals lining the cloister depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments and the life of Saint Ursus, as well as mythological beasts, animals, and other motifs.