ABOUT US
An ancient text dating from 1693 reports that "there is only a single house, it is old, extremely old, it belongs to the landbord, whereas la MASONE does not have any other houses but for this one located on a hill-top, and attached to the church, surrounded by city walls""La Mason" in the High Middle Ages, was an important leg of the journey to the Holy Land. This "Mason" situated along the XII century Roman road Postumia, changed its name to "Mason del Tempio" (Mason of the Temple) because inside its premises the knight templars had come to settle.
The order of knight templars were persecuted by Filippo il Bello, and was suppressed by Clement V of Avignon in 1312. In 1319 the St. John's Hospitallers order is known to have taken over the Mason.
From the beginning of 16th century, the archivial documents show that the Mason was no longer used by the monks or the knights. What followed was a period of decline in which its millenary artistic patrimony was dispersed and defaced and which culminated in the great pillage on 8 April 1848 by the Austrians.
The general idea, that has inspired this recent project of restoration, was the absolute respect for the original building and artefacts. We have approached this work of preservation of the building with the humbleness, trying to avoid forced and showy interventions, but highlighting the original features of historical and architectonic value, thus preserving that mood that history bestows and which seeps from every stone. Further information about the history of the building is available at the GuestHouse reception desk.
