Masserano: Palazzo, Churches and Baraggia Landscape

Masserano combines a historic town centre with protected landscapes and unusual traces of geological history. Between the Palazzo, churches, Borgo lanes, Baraggia and the paths along the Torrente Ostola, you will find various reasons to explore the area at your own pace.

Palazzo, Churches and Borgo

The Palazzo dei Principi was built in 1597 at the request of Marchesa Claudia di Savoia and her son Francesco Filiberto. Following the uprising of 1624, a long white stucco gallery was added, connecting the main building with the chapel; the work lasted from 1632 to 1634. Inside, the rooms are characterised by frescoes, decorated coffered ceilings and valuable stucco decorations.

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 from the second half of the 14th century.

The Chiesa di San Teonesto was Masserano’s first parish church. Its very ancient origins date back to the 10th century; outside the Borgo, it stands on an isolated hill. During the restoration of its façade in 2022, old wall paintings were uncovered, including depictions of the cross and of the Franciscan saints San Francesco, San Bernardino da Siena and San Ludovico da Tolosa.

In the Borgo Antico, arcades and narrow lanes shape the townscape; they converge in a small square in the Borgo Inferiore. At the entrance to the town stands the Chiesa di Santo Spirito, a Baroque church built in the second half of the 17th century. In the Rongio district, a bonfire is lit on the evening of 24 December, recalling ancient pre-Christian rites; omens for the new year are inferred from the direction of the sparks.

Guided tours of the Chiesa di San Teonesto are offered on weekends as part of special openings of the monuments of the Polo Museale Masseranese, and by arrangement for groups and school classes. The Palazzo dei Principi is open from 7 March to 7 November 2026 on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 6 p.m.; additional openings for groups are possible by arrangement.

Baraggia, Fossils and Trails

The protected area Baraggia di Rovasenda (IT1120004) includes Masserano as one of the participating municipalities in the Province of Biella. It has the protection status of a regional protected area, the Riserva naturale orientata delle Baragge. Masserano is also one of the municipalities within the Riserva Naturale delle Baragge, which protects remaining sections of the original Baraggia landscape.

Osterla is considered an archaeological site with numerous fossils. In some sections of the banks of the Torrente Ostola near Masserano, grey-blue clays contain fossils from the Pliocene. Geological and archaeological themes thus complement the town’s historic architecture.

There are also specific options for active days: at the bike park in Parco Arcobaleno in Masserano, an MTB school for young people was established from March 2012 with state-recognised or federation-affiliated instructors. Along the trails, you can go horseback riding in Masserano.

The typical gastronomic and wine offering of the Masserano area includes Bramaterra wine, which is considered particularly well known there. Alongside churches, palazzi and landscapes, local wine-making tradition and regional history are therefore also central to planning a trip.

Further Places for Trip Planning

For further orientation, you can also include Tollegno, Caprile, Bellaria, Graziano-Ruta, Simone, Pollone, Viverone and Villa Del Bosco in your plans.

For the overarching travel overview: Biella.