Sostegno: Wine Traditions, Frescoes and Hillside Scenery
Accommodation in Sostegno
Sostegno combines a landscape shaped by volcanic hills with religious art and the wine traditions of Bramaterra. In the town and its surroundings, you can discover a range of attractions: frescoes in churches and houses, the history of Sant’Emiliano and insights into the region’s winegrowing.
Landscape and Grotta di Bercovei
Sostegno lies in an amphitheater formed by volcanic hills. Their elevations range from 500 to 700 meters. North of Sostegno lies the Grotta di Bercovei: this cave, carved out of limestone, is about 150 meters long and ends at a lake that exists year-round. The landscape thus features two distinct geological formations side by side: the volcanic hills and the limestone cave.
Churches, Frescoes and Local History
The Oratory of San Giacomo was built along the medieval road to Santiago de Compostela. Its fresco cycle depicts scenes from the life of Christ and is dated to approximately the mid-15th century. At the parish church of San Lorenzo, the old castle tower serves as the bell tower; it is also now a national monument. The tower thus connects the former castle complex with its ecclesiastical function.
The co-parish church of S.S. TrinitĂ preserves a valuable, still Gothic-looking fresco of the Deposition of Christ on its exterior, dating from the late 15th century. Several houses in the historic center also feature frescoes: they date from the 15th to the 17th century and were created by artists of the Piedmontese school. The condition and visibility of individual house frescoes may vary.
Sant’Emiliano was built in the early Middle Ages on the ruins of a Roman temple atop the hill of the same name, which rises to 728 meters. Roman remains and early medieval building history meet here; the hill’s elevation also makes it another distinctive landmark in the landscape.
Bramaterra and Winegrowing
The Museo del Bramaterra is dedicated to the winegrowing traditions of the seven producing municipalities of Roasio, Lozzolo, Sostegno, Villa del Bosco, Masserano, Curino and Brusnengo. Bramaterra DOC is also produced in seven municipalities, including Sostegno. The museum thus highlights both the local wine tradition and the shared growing area.
The museum’s historic winemaking equipment includes a wine press, grape crushers, vats, oak barrels, demijohns and a manual bottling machine. The collection illustrates various tools used in winemaking, from pressing and storage to bottling.
Visiting the Museo del Bramaterra
The museum is in the hamlet of Casa del Bosco, on the central Piazza Santa Caterina. Parking is available there, and the ground floor has step-free access. The Museo del Bramaterra is part of the Rete Museale Biellese. In collaboration with the network, Sunday openings are planned during the summer; check current dates and parking and access conditions before travelling.
Sant’Emiliano and the Loop Trail
The Anello di Sant'Emiliano da Sostegno loop trail starts in Sostegno and leads to the Santuario di Sant’Emiliano. It is 8.50 kilometers long. The Sant’Emiliano trail is also connected to trail 709 Bornate–Sostegno. If you are planning a hike, please check current trail conditions.
Discover more destinations: Bioglio, Sandigliano, Sordevolo, Andorno Cacciorna, Camandona, Portula, Crevacuore, Salussola.
For the wider travel overview: Biella.
