Aosta

File:ValleDAostaAug152024.jpg]]

File:Roman Theatre Aosta 2.JPG

File:Aoste - panoramio (15).jpg

Aosta was settled in proto-historic times and later became a centre of the Salassi, many of whom were killed or sold into slavery by the Romans in 25 BC.[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_D6QPAAAAYAAJ John Lemprière, Lorenzo DaPonte, & John David Ogilby (1839), Bibliotheca Classica: Or, A Dictionary of All the Principal Names and Terms], (Tenth American Edition), New York: W.E. Dean. Salassi, p. 281 The campaign was led by Terentius Varro, who then founded the Roman colony of Augusta Praetoria Salassorum, housing 3,000 retired veterans. After 11 BC Aosta became the capital of the Alpes Graies province of the Empire. Its position at the confluence of two rivers, at the end of the Great and the Little St Bernard Pass, gave it considerable military importance, and its layout was that of a Roman military camp.

After the fall of the Western Empire, the city was conquered, in turn, by the Burgundians, the Ostrogoths, and the Byzantines. The Lombards, who had annexed it to their Italian kingdom, were expelled by the Frankish Empire under Pepin the Short. Under his son, Charlemagne, Aosta acquired importance as a post on the Via Francigena, leading from Aachen to Italy. After 888 AD it was part of the renewed Kingdom of Italy under Arduin of Ivrea and Berengar of Friuli.

In the 10th century Aosta became part of the Kingdom of Burgundy. After the fall of the latter in 1032, it became part of the lands of Count Humbert I of Savoy.{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Aosta|volume=2|page=158}}

The privilege of holding the assembly of the states-general was granted to the inhabitants in 1189. An executive council was nominated from this body in 1536, and continued to exist until 1802. After the Congress of Vienna restored the rule of Savoy it was reconstituted and formally recognized by Charles Albert of Sardinia, at the birth of his grandson Prince Amedeo, who was created duke of Aosta.

File:Gonfanon Aoste Salon ducal.JPG of Aosta/Aoste in the salon ducal of the Hôtel-de-Ville.]]

Aosta is in the rain shadow of the Mont Blanc massif and features a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa), bordering on a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk), also bordering on an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) and under the Köppen climate classification due to its low average annual rainfall. It is considered temperate oceanic (Trewartha: Do) in the Trewartha climate classification.

The city experiences cool to very cold winters, hot summers and relatively dry conditions throughout the year.

{{Weather box

|location = Aosta (1991–2020 normals), 547 m asl, extremes since 1984

|collapsed =

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high C = 22.9

|Feb record high C = 26.0

|Mar record high C = 26.3

|Apr record high C = 29.3

|May record high C = 32.2

|Jun record high C = 40.4

|Jul record high C = 36.5

|Aug record high C = 38.0

|Sep record high C = 34.0

|Oct record high C = 32.0

|Nov record high C = 23.0

|Dec record high C = 21.7

|year record high C = 40.4

|Jan high C = 6.2

|Feb high C = 10.0

|Mar high C = 14.6

|Apr high C = 18.1

|May high C = 21.5

|Jun high C = 25.1

|Jul high C = 28.8

|Aug high C = 28.1

|Sep high C = 23.1

|Oct high C = 17.6

|Nov high C = 11.5

|Dec high C = 5.1

|year high C = 18.3

|Jan mean C = 1.5

|Feb mean C = 4.2

|Mar mean C = 8.4

|Apr mean C = 11.6

|May mean C = 15.8

|Jun mean C = 19.2

|Jul mean C = 22.2

|Aug mean C = 21.5

|Sep mean C = 17.5

|Oct mean C = 12.2

|Nov mean C = 6.4

|Dec mean C = 0.8

|year mean C = 11.7

|Jan low C = -3.2

|Feb low C = -1.7

|Mar low C = 2.2

|Apr low C = 5.3

|May low C = 9.7

|Jun low C = 13.3

|Jul low C = 15.5

|Aug low C = 14.9

|Sep low C = 11.7

|Oct low C = 6.8

|Nov low C = 1.4

|Dec low C = -3.4

|year low C = 6.0

|Jan record low C = -17.6

|Feb record low C = -15.0

|Mar record low C = -15.9

|Apr record low C = -8.6

|May record low C = -3.8

|Jun record low C = 4.0

|Jul record low C = 7.0

|Aug record low C = 6.2

|Sep record low C = -3.7

|Oct record low C = -12.6

|Nov record low C = -14.1

|Dec record low C = -18.1

|year record low C = -18.1

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 33.1

|Feb precipitation mm = 19.1

|Mar precipitation mm = 37.3

|Apr precipitation mm = 28.9

|May precipitation mm = 48.9

|Jun precipitation mm = 41.2

|Jul precipitation mm = 27.9

|Aug precipitation mm = 27.2

|Sep precipitation mm = 27.0

|Oct precipitation mm = 42.8

|Nov precipitation mm = 52.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 28.0

|year precipitation mm =

|unit precipitation days = 1 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 4.1

|Feb precipitation days = 3.9

|Mar precipitation days = 4.7

|Apr precipitation days = 4.5

|May precipitation days = 7.4

|Jun precipitation days = 7.3

|Jul precipitation days = 5.5

|Aug precipitation days = 5.1

|Sep precipitation days = 4.1

|Oct precipitation days = 5.3

|Nov precipitation days = 4.9

|Dec precipitation days = 5.0

|year precipitation days =

|Jan sun =

|Feb sun =

|Mar sun =

|Apr sun =

|May sun =

|Jun sun =

|Jul sun =

|Aug sun =

|Sep sun =

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|Dec sun =

|year sun =

|source 1 = Météo Climat{{cite web

|url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/listenormale-1991-2020-1-p114.php

|title=Météo climat stats Moyennes 1991/2020 Italie (page 1)

|language=fr

|accessdate = 14 June 2022}}

}}

{{Historical populations|1861|8231|1871|7749|1881|7376|1901|7554|1911|7008|1921|9554|1931|13962|1936|16130|1951|24215|1961|30633|1971|36906|1981|37194|1991|36214|2001|34062|2011|34102|2021|33223|footnote=Source: ISTAT|cols=2|align=none}}

• Saint-Martin-de-Corléans Megalithic Area with artifacts and tombs dating to the Neolithic era.

File:Torre del lebbroso.jpg

The ancient town walls of Augusta Prætoria Salassorum are still preserved almost in their entirety, enclosing a rectangle {{convert|724|by|572|m|ft}}.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aostalife.it/www/index.php/eng/pagina/11|title=Aostalife.it - The Town Walls|website=www.aostalife.it|access-date=2017-02-13}} They are {{convert|6.4|m|ft}} high, built of concrete faced with small blocks of stone. At the bottom, the walls are nearly {{convert|2.75|m|ft}} thick, and at the top {{convert|1.83|m|ft}}.

Towers stand at angles to the enceinte and others are positioned at intervals, with two at each of the four gates, making twenty towers in total. They are roughly {{convert|6.5|m|ft}} square, and project {{convert|4.3|m|ft}} from the wall. Of the 20 original towers, the following are well preserved:{{Cite web|url=http://www.aostalife.it/www/index.php/eng/pagina/6|title=Aostalife.it - The Towers|website=www.aostalife.it|access-date=2017-02-13}}

• Tour du Lépreux (French for Leper's Tower), was given this name after a leper called Pierre-Bernard Guasco who was jailed there in the late 17th century. Le lépreux de la cité d'Aoste, a novel by Xavier de Maistre, is also named after this leper.
• Tourneuve (13th century).
• Tour du Pailleron.
• Tower (Castle) of Bramafan, built in the 11th century over a Roman bastion. It was the residence of the Savoy viscounts. In Franco-Provençal, Bramé la fan means "To scream for hunger".
• Tour du Baillage.
• Tour Fromage.

The south and east gates exist intact. The latter, a double gate with three arches flanked by two towers known as the Porta Praetoria (1st century AD) was the eastern gate to the city, and has preserved its original form apart from the marble covering.Toy, Sidney. Castles: Their Construction and History. New York: Dover Publications, 1985. p. 30. It is formed by two series of arches enclosing a small square.

The rectangular arrangement of the streets is modeled on a Roman plan dividing the town into 64 blocks (insulae). The main road, about {{convert|10|m|ft}} wide, divides the city into two equal halves, running from east to west. This arrangement makes it clear that guarding the road was the main raison d'être of the city.

The Roman theatre, of which the southern façade remains today, is {{convert|22|m|ft}} tall.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aostalife.it/www/index.php/eng/pagina/9|title=Aostalife.it - The Roman Theatre|website=www.aostalife.it|access-date=2017-02-13}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.lovevda.it/en/database/8/roman-monuments/aosta/roman-theatre/736|title=Roman Theatre {{!}} Aosta Valley|website=www.lovevda.it|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-02-13}} The structure, dating from the late reign of Augustus, occupied an area of {{convert|81|by|64|m|ft}}; it could contain up to 4,000 spectators. In the nearby was the amphitheatre, built under Claudius. A marketplace surrounded by storehouses on three sides with a temple in the centre with two on the open (south) side, as well as a thermae, have also been discovered.

File:L'altra faccia dell'Arco di Augusto.jpg.]]

Outside the town walls is the Arch of Augustus, a triumphal arch in honour of Augustus, built in 35 BC to celebrate the victory of consul Varro Murena over the Salassi.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aostalife.it/www/index.php/eng/pagina/2|title=Aostalife.it - The Arch of Augustus|website=www.aostalife.it|access-date=2017-02-13}} About {{convert|8|km|0|abbr=off}} to the west is a single-arched Roman bridge, called the Pont d'Aël. It has a closed passage, lighted by windows for foot passengers in winter, and above it an open footpath.

File:Aosta - Cathedral (avr 2024).jpg.]]

There are considerable remains of the ancient road from Eporedia (modern Ivrea) to Augusta Praetoria into the Aosta Valley. The modern railway follows this route, notable for the Pont Saint-Martin, which has a single arch with a span of {{convert|35|m|ft}} and a roadway {{convert|4.5|m|ft}} wide; the cutting of Donnas; and the Roman bridges of Cillian (Saint-Vincent) and Aosta (Pont de Pierre).

• The Cathedral, built in the 4th century and replaced in the 11th century by a new edifice dedicated to the Madonna. It is annexed to the Roman Forum.
• The Romanesque-Gothic Collegiate church of Saint Ursus (Saint-Ours). Its most evocative feature is the cloister, which can be entered through a hall on the left of the façade. It is dedicated to Ursus of Aosta.
• The Saint-Bénin College, built about 1000 by the Benedictines. It is now an exhibition site.
• The Bridge of Grand Arvou, a medieval arch bridge-aqueduct.

Aosta lies on the crossroad of two major trans-alpine trunk roads: national road 26 (Italian: SS26, French: RN26[http://www.regione.vda.it/amministrazione/leggi/bollettino_ufficiale_new/bollettino_f.asp?id=814 Bulletin officiel de la région autonome Vallée d'Aoste - n.12/2012]) connecting the city of Chivasso to Little St Bernard Pass on the Italy-France border, and national road 27 (Italian: SS27, French: RN27[http://www.regione.vda.it/amministrazione/leggi/bollettino_ufficiale_new/bollettino_f.asp?id=814 Bulletin officiel de la région autonome Vallée d'Aoste - n.12/2012]) connecting the city of Aosta to the Great St Bernard Pass on the Italy-Switzerland border. Aosta is also served by the A5 motorway between Turin and Courmayeur.{{Cite web|url=http://www.autostrade.it/en/la-nostra-rete|title=Our Network - Autostrade per l'Italia|website=www.autostrade.it|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-13}}

Aosta railway station, opened in 1886, forms part of the Chivasso–Ivrea–Aosta railway. Direct trains only connect Aosta up to the city of Ivrea. The branch line to nearby Pré-Saint-Didier, in the Valdigne, on the way towards Courmayeur was closed in 2015. Train service is operated by Trenitalia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.trenitalia.com/|title=Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia|website=www.trenitalia.com|language=it|access-date=2017-02-09}}

The main bus hub is located near the Aosta train station. Buses connect the city of Aosta to the nearby valleys and to destinations outside the region, including Turin, Milan, Chamonix (France) and Martigny (Switzerland).{{Cite web|url=http://savda.it/|title=Home SAVDA Autoservizi e Autolinee della Valle d'Aosta|last=Sanson|first=Fabrizio|website=savda.it|language=it|access-date=2017-02-09}}

Aosta airport is located 5 km to the east of the city.

• List of mayors of Aosta
• Anselm of Aosta (1033–1109), Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109.{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Anselm |volume = 2 |last= |first= |author-link= |pages=81-83 |short=1}}
• Xavier de Maistre (1763–1852), writer of Le lépreux de la cité d'Aoste ("The leper from Aosta", 1811).{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Maistre, Xavier de |volume = 17 |last= |first= |author-link= |page=446 |short=1}}
• Laurent Cerise (1807–1869), a French physician born in Aosta
• Innocenzo Manzetti (1826–1877), an Italian inventor born in Aosta.

{{Portal|Italy}}

• Duke of Aosta
• Franco-Provençal language - Valdôtain dialect.
• Aostan French
• :Category:Towers in Italy
• :Category:Tribes involved in the Gallic Wars

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy}}

Aosta is twinned with:{{cite web|title=Relazione al Conto Consuntivo|url=http://www.comune.aosta.it/atti_amministrativi/odg/1327581.pdf|website=comune.aosta.it|publisher=Aosta|page=107|language=it|date=2017|access-date=2019-12-13|archive-date=2021-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420173309/https://www.comune.aosta.it/atti_amministrativi/odg/1327581.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Coopération Internationale|url=https://www.chamonix.fr/votre-mairie/cooperation/50-cooperation-internationale.html|website=chamonix.fr|publisher=Chamonix-Mont-Blanc|language=fr|access-date=2019-12-13}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• {{flagicon|FRA}} Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
• {{flagicon|SEN}} Kaolack, Senegal
• {{flagicon|SUI}} Martigny, Switzerland
• {{flagicon|FRA}} Narbonne, France
• {{flagicon|ROU}} Sinaia, Romania

{{div col end}}

{{notelist}}

;Inline citations

{{Reflist|30em}}

;General references

• {{EB1911|wstitle=Aosta}}

• Lin Colliard, La vieille Aoste, éd. Musumeci, Aoste, 1972.
• Aimé Chenal, Promenade archéologique de la ville d'Aoste, ITLA, Aoste, 1965.
• Mauro Caniggia Nicolotti & Luca Poggianti, Aoste inconnue : traces cachées, oubliées ou invisibles de la vieille ville, typog. La Vallée, Aoste, 2010.
• Carlo Promis, Le antichità di Aosta, (Turin, 1862);
• Édouard Bérard, Atti della Società di Archeologia di Torino, iii. 119 seq.; Notizie degli Scavi, passim.

{{commonscat|Aosta}}

{{wikivoyage|Aosta}}

• [http://aosta.travel-album.com Photos of Aosta] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117184817/http://aosta.travel-album.com/ |date=2021-11-17 }}
• [http://www.vmv.it/mao+aosta+museum_3-1-0-0-0.aspx Virtual Museum Vallée (VMV), virtual museum of Aosta city]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090124182636/http://www.regione.vda.it/cultura/beni_culturali/patrimonio/siti_archeologici/augusta_praetoria/default_i.asp Augusta Praetoria] Site plan & photos from the Aosta Valley Regional Authority.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120310220713/http://www.ancientplaces.tv/en/archive/1-season-1/18-aosta Ancient Places TV: HD Video of Aosta, Italy]

{{Comuni of Aosta Valley}}

{{Regional Capitals of Italy}}

{{List of European capitals by region}}

{{Landmarks of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities and towns in Aosta Valley

Category:Roman amphitheatres in Italy