Santa Maria Church, Villeneuve, Italy

The Romanesque Santa Maria (St. Mary's) church, which is located at the foot of the medieval castle, was the seat of the parish until the end of the 18th century. The bell tower is a typical square shaped tower. During the digs carried out in the building, the remains of the ancient early-Christian church and the relative baptismal font were found. The semi-circular shaped crypt, near the choir, dates back to the 11th century. Inside the church you can still admire important frescos from the 13th to the 16th century, as well as furnishings.

You can access the church on foot, within the space of five minutes, from the road that unwinds from the bridge over the Dora Baltea.

References:

Aosta Valley Tourism

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

Juergen Ubl (7 months ago)
Church of Villeneuve, located in the center. You can see it.

Sascha Iacobelli (2 years ago)
Church with a very beautiful facade.

Hilary Olivotto (6 years ago)
It feels good in this church.

Luca Lanzoni (6 years ago)
Castle situated in a fairy-tale setting at the foot of the Monte Rosa massif. Expert guides accompany the visit. The very convenient ticket includes a guided tour

Fernanda Rollandoz (6 years ago)
A stop for a prayer in an agréable place.

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Santa Maria Church

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