On the slopes of Monte Carso, on the South East side of Val Rosandra, stands the ancient church of Santa Maria di Siaris.
It was built in the 13th century, probably on the ruins of an ancient tower, and according to legend it was built at the behest of Charlemagne, buried in a nearby cave. Originally it must have also included a small monastery (the "monks of Siaris" - also called "monks on the rocks" - appear several times in documents of the following centuries). Over time the church was restored several times, if not completely rebuilt. The most important restoration was probably that of 1647 (the year reported on its architrave). Subsequently, until the end of the 19th century, the church ended up in a state of neglect. The current structure is mainly the result of works carried out during the twentieth century. Today the church is open and can be visited only on the occasion of the (rare) masses that are celebrated there; even the external visit alone makes it a worthy destination for a nice excursion.
In 1300 it was a pilgrimage destination for blasphemers, who had to walk 12 kilometers barefoot for penance.
On the name "Siaris":
There are no convincing etymologies for the toponym "Siaris". According to Cuscito it derives from the Ladin word "serra" (barrage, mountain, ridge), but this is precisely an unconvincing hypothesis. It is interesting that the name "Siaris" has remained almost unchanged over the centuries: in 1330 it is mentioned several times in the form "Seris", which in the course of the fifteenth century changes to "Siaris", a definitive form preserved to this day.