Sant’Orso Parish Church

As legend has it, the village of Crêt, at 2,016 meters in the Urtier Valley, was the first chief town of the Cogne Valley and home to the primitive church dating back to the early Middle Ages. However, the first certain mention of a church in this valley dates back to 1184 and was consecrated in 1202. This church depended on the Collegiate Church of Saint Ursus in Aosta, allowing the parish priests to also be canons of Sant'Orso for six centuries (1184-1820). The building underwent various changes, and in the Middle Ages, it housed only two altars: a major one dedicated to Sant'Orso and one to the Virgin Mary. A disastrous flood in 1640 caused the collapse of the 13th-century church, leading to the construction of the current building. The Baroque interior houses five altars dating back to the first half of the 18th century: the Altar of the Rosary (1731), the Altar of Mercy (1730), the Altar of Saint Michael (1725) and the Altar of Saint Anthony (1719). The main altar, dating back to 1712, is one of the most important examples of Baroque in the Aosta Valley. In 1791, an organ was purchased and restored in 1872 and 1969. At the beginning of the 20th century, donations allowed for restoration and improvements, including new church pews. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, some statues were also added along the nave. In 1906, the façade was restored with frescoes. On the south side of the church, there is an imposing aluminium statue depicting Saint Barbara, originally located in the chapel of the mining village. Next to it, there is a memorial to the parish priest Chamonin, who for 57 years led the community of Cogne with devotion.