Description
LAZIO – VITERBO – MONTEFIASCONE - "ALTA TUSCIA"
ANCIENT HISTORIC VILLAGE NEAR LAKE BOLSENA
Ancient village dating back to 1174, just 6 kilometers away from Lake Bolsena, the largest lake of volcanic origin in Europe, and 11 from Viterbo, city of the Popes and the largest medieval quarter in Europe.
The ancient historic residence is made up of three real estate blocks, for a total of 4000 m2, of which 2500 m2 still to be recovered, while the remaining 1500 m2 offer six refined apartments, two rooms on the ground floor used as dining rooms, a well-stocked and equipped kitchen, with cellar on the floor below and a characteristic room in the basement of another block. The latter, which in the past was used as a cellar and shelter for animals, has been restored to its former glory and today can be used as a location for cultural, recreational and food and wine events.
The entire property is spread over a 4.5 hectare plot of land planted with vineyards and olive groves; Furthermore, in the vicinity of the properties, there is a small amphitheater and a swimming pool, also equipped with a mini bar, oven and barbecue.
The entire property is an excellent location for holding any type of event both in the external park and in the internal spaces.
Distances in kilometers: The lake 6 km, the sea 53 km, Viterbo 11 km, Orvieto 35 km, Rome 110 km.
History
The place called "La Commenda" appears to have been inhabited already in Roman times, as can be deduced from local findings of stone, ceramic and various materials.
The origin of the buildings that still exist seems to date back to 1174.
The Knight Monks of the Jerusalem Order of St. John (later called the Sovereign Jerusalem Military Order of Malta) took possession of it and built a church dedicated to Saint Lucia (which is confirmed in a bull of Innocent III in 1208 ) and a "Domus hospitalis", for the assistance of pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena and the care of the sick.
Starting from the 14th century, the place was assigned in trust (i.e. in "commenda") to personalities of clear fame, belonging to noble families and to ecclesiastics awarded the cardinal's purple (and it is from this period that the place began to be called " The Commandery").
Subsequently, members of the Aldobrandini, Rospigliosi, Farnese, Orsini and Sforza families took possession of it.
The period of greatest prosperity of the Commandery was the one in which it was assigned to Annibal Caro, a great scholar and poet, as well as Commander and Knight of the Order of Malta: that is, from 1555 to 1566.
In 1798 La Commenda was taken over by the republican government established by Napoleon and, in 1799, it became the property of the Doria Pamphili princes, who held it until the first half of the 19th century.
Over time, the Commenda complex has undergone various building expansions, the last of which dates back to 1893, as can be read in an epigraph located there.
In recent times, the owners of the site have used the buildings in question as agricultural warehouses and as residences for their settlers. Until the sixties of the 20th century, a rural elementary school also functioned there, for the children of the settlers themselves.
