Aosta Collegiate Church of St. Bear

The Collegiate Church of Saint Bear: one of the oldest and most important churches in Aosta The Collegiate Church of Saint Bear is one of the oldest and most important churches in Aosta.
Located outside the Roman city walls, it stands on an area that in imperial times housed a necropolis.
The church is dedicated to Saints Peter and Bear, the latter the patron saint of the city and protector of artisans. History of the Collegiate Church of St. Bear The present church is the result of several transformations over the centuries.
It was first built in the 5th century, but was renovated in the Romanesque style between the 10th and 12th centuries at the behest of Bishop Anselm I. From this period remain the crypt, the isolated bell tower-the highest in the valley at 44 meters-and the Ottonian frescoes preserved in the attic. The 15th-century Gothic extension In the 15th century, Prior George of Challant promoted a further extension in the Gothic style, giving the church its present appearance.
The three naves are covered with cross vaults, the choir is enriched with wooden stalls and stained glass windows, and the floor features a mosaic depicting Samson and the lion with a palindromic phrase. The facade and cloister of the Collegiate Church of St. Bear The facade of the church features two Romanesque portals and a Gothic rose window.
Next to the church is the Romanesque cloister, dating from the 12th century, a period when the canons of St. Bear adopted the rule of St. Augustine.
The cloister is one of the most beautiful and best preserved in Italy, with 40 carved capitals narrating biblical scenes, episodes from the life of St. Bear and ornamental motifs.
The whole is surrounded by a portico with round arches supported by paired columns.