Discover Masserano: Borgo Antico and Baraggia

When looking for a hotel in Masserano, it helps to consider the different aspects of the town: historic buildings, the old townscape, the Baraggia, and geological and wine-growing features. This lets you plan your trip around the things that interest you most. Masserano’s history is reflected in its various building phases and churches; nature and traditions add further dimensions to this focus.

Palazzo dei Principi and its building history

The Palazzo dei Principi was built in 1597 at the behest of Marchesa Claudia di Savoia and her son Francesco Filiberto. Following the uprising of 1624, a long gallery of white stucco was added, connecting the main building to the chapel. Work lasted from 1632 to 1634. Inside, frescoes, decorated coffered ceilings and valuable stucco decorations characterize the rooms. The building thus reveals both its origins and a later extension.

From March 7 to November 7, 2026, the palazzo is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 6 p.m.; additional openings for groups are available by arrangement. If you are planning a visit, check the opening hours again before your travel date.

Churches and Borgo Antico

The Chiesa di San Teonesto was Masserano’s first parish church. Its very ancient origins date back to the 10th century; it stands outside the borgo on an isolated hill. During restoration of its façade in 2022, old wall paintings were uncovered. They depict a cross and the Franciscan saints San Francesco, San Bernardino da Siena and San Ludovico da Tolosa. Guided visits are offered on weekends during special openings of the monuments of the Polo Museale Masseranese, and by arrangement for groups and school classes. Check the opening dates if you are planning a visit.

The Collegiata of Masserano is the parish church dedicated to the Santissima Annunziata. It was built between 1480 and 1485 and consecrated in 1486. It houses the Madonna Nera di Masserano, also known as Salus Infirmorum: a work of art dating from the second half of the 14th century. Another historic church is the Chiesa di Santo Spirito at the entrance to the town, a Baroque church from the second half of the 17th century.

The Borgo Antico offers a different perspective on the townscape: arcades and narrow lanes lead to a small square in the Borgo Inferiore. The layout of the historic center therefore differs markedly from the individually dated buildings and churches.

Baraggia, geology and activities

Masserano is one of the municipalities within the Riserva Naturale delle Baragge. The protected area preserves remaining sections of the original Baraggia landscape. Geological features are also among the area’s local highlights: Osterla is described as an archaeological site with numerous fossils. In some stretches of the banks of the Torrente Ostola near Masserano, gray-blue clays contain fossils from the Pliocene.

Activities mentioned include horseback riding along the trails in the Masserano area. A mountain biking school for young people, staffed by state-recognized or federation-certified instructors, was established in the Bike Park of Parco Arcobaleno from March 2012. These two activities represent different ways to get moving: horseback riding in the area and a historically dated initiative for young mountain bikers.

Tradition and wine

A tradition in the hamlet of Rongio is a bonfire on the evening of December 24, recalling ancient pre-Christian rites. Omens for the new year are drawn from the direction of the sparks. The tradition has been documented since the 1970s; it may not take place every year. If you would like to include the event in your travel plans, check the dates for your year of travel.

The regional wine tradition also offers a distinctive point of interest: Bramaterra is one of the typical wines of the Masserano area and is considered particularly well known there. Together with the Borgo Antico, the churches and the landscape, it gives you a broad picture of the destination around which to plan your interests.

Discover more destinations: Campiglia Cervo, Sala Biellese, Cerrione, Castellengo, Candelo, Sandigliano, Sostegno, Magnano.

For the overarching travel guide: Biella.