Sacra di San Michele

On Saturday, we took a day trip to Sacro di San Michele. It is a Benedictine monastery that was begun in the late 900's and lasted until 1622. It was one of the most important Benedictine monasteries during medieval times.

"For those who enjoyed Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose it is the place that inspired the novel and then the film which starred Sean Connery. The Sacra di San Michele, amongst the most well-known Benedictine abbeys, is today considered one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe. In order to reach the so-called Doorway of the Zodiac, one has to climb 243 steps, but once at the top, the view is unique as the Alps embrace the valley offering a breathtaking spectacle of natural beauty."

view of La Sacra di San Michele


standing atop La Sacra with a view of the valley below


Lee Anne and Wren on the Stairs of Death (because monks' corpses were once laid out here)


fresco inside the church


carved head - it's over 1,000 years old!


carved statue of Mary


family photo with La Sacra in background

Town of Susa

view of the town of Susa


Arch of Augustus, erected in 8 BC


part of a Roman aquaduct