Romanesque Days Open Alpine Heritage Sites for Free Guided Tours

The Via Romanica delle Alpi – Sentieri del Cielo network, established in 2006, organizes the annual 'Giornate del Romanico' every second weekend of October, offering free guided tours and events across 33 Romanesque sites dating from 950 to 1250. The network spans Val Venosta, Burgraviato, Oltradige, Val Pusteria, and includes the UNESCO-listed monastery of Müstair in Switzerland, supported by IDM-Alto Adige. In Val Venosta, notable sites include the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Maria (Marienberg) at Burgusio, the highest in Europe at 1,340 meters, founded in the 13th century with a crypt from 1160 featuring intact frescoes uncovered in 1980. The church of Santo Stefano, the monks' original nucleus, and San Nicolò with an 1199 consecration inscription and a Majestas Domini fresco are also open. At Malles, the 8th-century church of San Benedetto displays rare Carolingian frescoes, including a nobleman and a flogging of a plump Saint Paul. The church of San Vito at Tarces sits on a 'place of power' with Roman and Celtic finds. Glorenza, Italy's smallest city, features low porticoes and the Romanesque church of San Giacomo. Castelbello, first mentioned in 1238, has a 13th-century chapel and hosts exhibitions and concerts. The initiative aims to valorize and protect these sites, combining tourism with discovery of preserved ancient rarities.