Aosta · Italy

Bramafam Tower

Bramafam means cries of hunger. The name derives from a famine, and towers and castles throughout Europe carry it: they were the places where grain was kept, and to which people turned when grain was lacking. This tower rose upon a Roman gate, the Porta Principalis Dextera, and in the Middle Ages became the castle of the viscounts of Aosta. The stone recounts the two ages one above the other, if observed with attention: regular Roman blocks below, medieval masonry above, rougher and taller.

Go deeper

Where does the name come from?

From a phrase meaning cries of hunger, tied to the memory of a famine. The name recurs across Alpine and French regions.

What was the Porta Principalis Dextera?

One of the four gates of the Roman city, the one on the south side. Roman gates were named after the orientation of the military camp.

Can you visit?

The outside is always there to see. Access to the interior depends on works and events, so it is worth checking first.

Where it is

Via Giosuè Carducci, 11100 Aosta · 45.73398, 7.31874 · Open in Maps

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