Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Castle
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 45°42′22″ N, 7°13′31″ E
- Address
- 20, rue du Petit-Saint-Bernard - Saint-Pierre (AO)
History and description
Sarriod de la Tour Castle is a castle in the town of Saint-Pierre by the Dora Baltea River, in Northwestern Italy's Aosta Valley. The original castle was typical of the style built between the 10th and 12th centuries, and was greatly expanded by Jean Sarriod in 1420 and his son, Antoine, in 1478. The north wing's ground floor features a wooden-ceilinged "Hall of Heads", named for its decorative motifs.
History
The Sarriod de la Tour Castle was the family residence of the Sarriod family since its founding. The Sarriods were politically linked to the powerful Bard family in the County of Savoy. The oldest part of the castle included a chapel and square tower, or donjon, surrounded by the castle walls, typical of the Aosta Valley 10th- to 12th-century castles. In 1420 Jean Sarriod expanded upon the "turris Sariodorum", as the donjon was known. The "Hall of Heads", built in 1430, features 171 corbels of grotesques of mythological monsters and animals bearing coats of arms. In 1478 Jean's son, Antoine Sarriod de la Tour, refurbished the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist, by having painted the external frescoes of the Crucifix and Saint Christopher and caused to be built the small bell tower. The castle wall's circular and semi-circular towers were added sometime in the late 15th century, when a new entrance was created on the eastern side. In the 16th century a west-facing wing was added, then, in the 17th century, a north tower. The Sarriod family inhabited the castle until 1923. In that year the castle went to the Genoese Bensa family. Since 1970, it has been property of the autonomous Region Aosta Valley.
The castle today
There are about 150 medieval castles, towers and fortified houses in the Aosta Valley. The castle is visible from the National Road No. 26 which runs from Ivrea to the Little St Bernard Pass. Sarriod de la Tour is open to visitors year round.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Sarriod de la Tour Castle».
Photos
Getting there
ArvierTrain, nearest
4.5 km as the crow flies
Sarriod de la Tour Castle20, rue du Petit-Saint-Bernard - Saint-Pierre (AO)
Aeroporto regionale della Valle d'Aosta / Aéroport régional de la Vallée d'Aoste11.7 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore castles in Aosta Valley
Frequently asked questions
Where is Sarriod de la Tour Castle?
Sarriod de la Tour Castle is in Saint-Pierre (Aosta Valley), Italy. Address: 20, rue du Petit-Saint-Bernard - Saint-Pierre (AO). GPS coordinates: 45.70611, 7.22519.
What are the opening hours of Sarriod de la Tour Castle?
According to OpenStreetMap the opening hours are: April to June · Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00–19:00; July to August · every day: 9:00–19:00; September · Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00–19:00; October to March · Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00–13:00, 14:00–17:00; 25 December: Closed; 1 January: Closed. Always check the official website before your visit.
How much does it cost to visit Sarriod de la Tour Castle?
There is an admission charge. Up-to-date prices are on the official website.
What else is there to see near Sarriod de la Tour Castle?
Nearby you’ll find: Saint-Pierre Castle (500 m away), Regional Natural Science Museum (500 m away), Tour Colin (900 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- CastelloSarriodDeLaTourJuly312023 03 — Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello Sarriod de la Tour - DPP 00184 — Alexis.courthoud, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Sarriod de la Tour - interno 01 — Jakala86, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello Sarriod de la Tour - lato sulla Dora — Alessandro Cantamessa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Sarriod de la Tour - vista esterna — Jakala86, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello Sarriod de La Tour (Saint-Pierre) — Alessandro Cantamessa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Sarriod de la Tour 03 — Laurom, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Sarriod de la Tour notturno — Alessandro Cantamessa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Sarriod de la Tour visto dall'altro lato della Dora — Patafisik, CC BY-SA 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences