Aosta

Aosta

Aosta is the capital of the Aosta Valley, a special area in the Alps. It is about 110 km north-northwest of Turin in Italy.

The city is near two important tunnels: the Mont Blanc Tunnel and the Great St Bernard Tunnel. These tunnels connect Italy with France. Aosta is also where the Buthier and Dora Baltea rivers meet, and it lies at the crossing point of two famous mountain passes.

Today, Aosta has over 33,000 people. Its mix of cultures, history, and natural beauty makes it a special place to visit.

History

Aosta has a very old history. It was first settled a long time ago and later became an important place for a group of people called the Salassi. Many of them were defeated by the Romans in 25 BC. The Romans then built a colony there called Augusta Praetoria Salassorum for retired soldiers.

After the Roman Empire fell, Aosta was taken over by different groups, including the Burgundians, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, and Lombards. Later, it became important as a stop on a major road called the Via Francigena, which led from Aachen to Italy. Over time, Aosta was part of different kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Burgundy and the lands of the Counts of Savoy.

Climate

Aosta is shielded from heavy rain by the Mont Blanc massif. The city has a humid subtropical climate. This means it experiences hot summers and cool to very cold winters. Aosta also usually stays fairly dry all year long.

Demographics

Aosta is home to 33,127 people. About half are male, and half are female. Young people make up a small part of the population, while older adults make up a bigger part.

Immigration

In 2025, most people in Aosta were born in Italy. Other people come from Morocco, Romania, Albania, the Dominican Republic, France, and Moldova.

Main sights

The old town walls of Augusta Prætoria Salassorum are still mostly standing. They make a rectangle that is 724 by 572 metres long and 6.4 metres high. The walls are made of concrete with stone blocks on the outside.

There are towers placed at angles and intervals along the walls, with two towers at each of the four gates. In total, there were twenty towers. Some of the well-preserved towers include the Tour du Lépreux, Tourneuve, Tour du Pailleron, and the Tower of Bramafan.

The south and east gates of the town are still standing. The east gate, called the Porta Praetoria, has three arches and two towers on either side. The streets in the town are laid out in a grid pattern, similar to Roman cities, with a main road running east to west.

Other important sights include the remains of a Roman theatre, the Arch of Augustus outside the town walls, and the Roman bridge called Pont d'Aël. There are also ancient roads, bridges, and buildings like the Cathedral and the Collegiate church of Saint Ursus.

Transport

Aosta is a key point where important roads meet. It lies on two main roads: one connects to the Little St Bernard Pass on the border between Italy and France, and the other connects to the Great St Bernard Pass on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The city is also linked by the A5 motorway running between Turin and Courmayeur.

The city has a train station that opened in 1886. Trains run from Aosta to Ivrea, but the line to Pré-Saint-Didier was closed in 2015. Buses leave from near the train station and go to nearby valleys as well as cities like Turin, Milan, Chamonix, and Martigny. There is an airport about 5 km east of Aosta, but it doesn’t have regular flights. The closest airports are Turin Airport, about 65 km south, and Geneva Airport, about 109 km northwest.

Notable people

Aosta has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Anselm of Aosta was an important Archbishop of Canterbury. Xavier de Maistre was a writer who lived in Aosta and wrote a book. Laurent Cerise, a French doctor, was born in Aosta. Innocenzo Manzetti, an inventor from Italy, was also born in Aosta.

List of mayors of Aosta Anselm of Aosta Archbishop of Canterbury Xavier de Maistre Laurent Cerise Innocenzo Manzetti