To Santa Giuliana's ancient sanctuary

From the centre of Vigo di Fassa to the ancient pilgrimage church of Santa Giuliana (Saint Juliana), patron saint of the valley: a walk rich in history and spirituality, and a pilgrimage destination for centuries - even from neighbouring valleys.

A walk from the heart of Vigo di Fassa, one of Italy&#039;s most beautiful villages, to the &#34;Ciaslir de Vich&#34; - the ancient hillfort where one of the valley’s earliest Rhaetian communities once stood. Here, on a site already considered sacred in prehistoric times, the first core of the sanctuary was built in 1237 and later expanded in 1519. Today it is the most representative church in Val di Fassa, dedicated to Santa Giuliana (Saint Juliana), patron saint of the valley.<br />The saint paid with her life for refusing to marry a pagan nobleman, and every year on 16 February a much-loved religious and local celebration is held in her honour.<br />The frescoed apse, the central wooden altar, the sacristy and the two-tier bell tower still preserve their original forms and details.<br />All around the church, in the larch forest, you will find numerous benches - quiet traces of the pilgrimages that have brought worshippers and travellers here for centuries. An invitation to pause, breathe, and let the spirit of this place sink in - shaped by art, history and hope.