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{{Quote|A key force in the protection of Monteriggioni for hundreds of years and a source of great architectural innovation...|Commemorative plaque for the Villa Auditore, 2012.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
{{Location Infobox
{{Location Infobox
|image = Auditorie-Villa.jpg
|name = Villa Auditore
|heldby = [[House of Auditore]]
|image = AC2 renovated villa auditore.png
|factions = [[Assassins]], [[Thieves]], [[Courtesans]], [[Mercenaries]]
|state = [[Monteriggioni]], [[Tuscany]]
|seenin = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|rulers = [[House of Auditore]]
|factions = [[Assassins]]<br>[[Mercenary|Mercenaries]]<br>[[Thief|Thieves]]<br>[[Courtesan]]s
|founded = [[Domenico Auditore]]
|date = 1290 {{c|first construction}}<br>13 August 1327 {{c|as the Villa Auditore}}
|abandoned = 2 January 1500
|hidea = yes
}}
}}
The '''Auditore Family Villa''' was a stronghold in the city of [[Monteriggioni]]. It was built by [[Domenico Auditore]], and later used to provide refuge for [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]] and his family after the [[Auditore execution|murder]] of [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]], [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]] in [[Florence]]. Sitting in a beautiful Tuscan valley, the villa and Monteriggioni had become run down over time and was badly in need of repair.
The '''Villa Auditore''' was a familial home and stronghold of the [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] and the [[Italian Brotherhood of Assassins|Italian Assassins]], located within the [[Tuscany|Tuscan]] town of [[Monteriggioni]]. Purchased by [[Domenico Auditore]] in August 1327, it remained the home of the Auditore up until the turn of the 16th century, when it was heavily damaged during the [[siege of Monteriggioni]].


==History==
==History==
[[File:Klljhljljiljhhyu.jpeg|thumb|left|The Villa Monteriggioni]]
===Domenico Auditore===
During the villa's construction, Domenico designed the home to double as a fortress and training ground for the town. The building was filled with hidden compartments and rooms, such as a moving bookshelf in the study. It concealed the entrance to the [[Sanctuary]], a shrine to [[Assassins]] past and the resting place of [[Altaïr's armor]]. Though unconnected to the villa, the [[Auditore Family Crypt]] lay nearby.
The villa was constructed in 1290. Thirty years later, in 1320, a [[Florence|Florentine]] attack left the façade damaged and in need of reconstruction. In August 1327,<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]'' – [[Database: A Villa for the Auditore]]</ref> Domenico Auditore purchased the Villa and subsequently erected a new façade, as well as a [[painting gallery]] within the building. He redesigned the Villa as both a home, [[fort]]ress, and a training ground for the town.<ref name="Database">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Database: Villa Auditore]]</ref>


After a Florentine attack in 1320 left the facade damaged, the present facade was erected and a [[painting gallery]] was added to the interior.
The building itself was filled with several hidden compartments and rooms, whilst the grounds catered to a number of different uses.<ref name="Database" /> Following this, Domenico constructed a [[Auditore Family Crypt|family crypt]],<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Paying Respects]]</ref> which would later be connected to an escape route within the Villa that led out to the north of Monteriggioni.<ref name="Emergency Exit">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' – [[Emergency Exit]]</ref>


In 1476, Ezio and his family arrived in the villa after the execution of his father and brothers. He found the Villa in a state of disrepair and Ezio trained there with his [[Mario Auditore|uncle]] for two years, preparing to assassinate [[Vieri de' Pazzi]]. [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|Claudia]] and [[Maria Auditore]] remained at the villa for the rest of Ezio's journey. Claudia kept records of Monteriggioni's income and Ezio's progress, while Maria prayed in her room under constant grief of her husband and sons' deaths. This changed only after Ezio gathered and stored eagle feathers as keepsakes and to help her cope with the loss. By 1499 Ezio had drastically improved the appearance of the Villa and the town of Monteriggioni.
===Mario Auditore===
{{Quote|She's seen better days, I suppose. Believe me, I'd have her shining again... if only I had the time.|Mario Auditore, on the villa's decrepit state, 1476.|Assassin's Creed II|Casa Dolce Casa}}
[[File:CDC 3 v.png|thumb|250px|left|The decrepit Villa Auditore]]
By 1436, the Villa hosted the newest generation of Auditore [[Assassins]]: the brothers [[Mario Auditore|Mario]] and [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni Auditore]]. Following the death of their father and Giovanni's departure for Florence, Mario became the sole ruler of Monteriggioni and main resident of the Villa in 1454.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Database: Mario Auditore (Assassin's Creed II)|Database: Mario Auditore]]</ref><ref name="PL">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'' – [[Italian Wars: Chapter 3 - Mario Auditore]]</ref>


In December 1499, [[Cesare Borgia]] [[Siege of Monteriggioni|besieged]] Monteriggioni, devastating the town and villa.
Despite Mario's love for the building, both Monteriggioni and the Villa receded into disrepair due to him focusing his spending on warfare and [[Mercenary|mercenaries]], rather than its upkeep. Instead, the Villa was mostly used for the storage of weapons and war equipment, and at one point, even a [[Shroud of Eden 1|mysterious artifact]] that Mario had discovered hidden under Monteriggioni. During the [[Defense of Monteriggioni|city's defense]] in 1454, the Villa was also where Mario and his mercenaries interrogated [[Luciano Pezzati]], a spy for the invading Florentine army.<ref name="PL"/>


In 2012, [[Desmond Miles]], [[Lucy Stillman]], [[Rebecca Crane]] and [[Shaun Hastings]] all go to the Sanctuary as a hideout from the Modern day [[Templars]]. It was appears to be fully repaired after the Siege of Monteriggioni and Desmond scaled the building to find power supplies to boost the power needed for the [[Animus]] to run.
===Ezio Auditore===
In January 1477, Mario's nephew, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], his mother [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria]], and sister [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|Claudia]] came seeking refuge in Monteriggioni after his brothers [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]] were executed alongside Giovanni.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Roadside Assistance]]</ref> After resting in the Villa,<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Casa Dolce Casa]]</ref><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Practice Makes Perfect]]</ref> Ezio intended to take his mother and sister to [[Spain]], much to Mario's protests.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[What Goes Around]]</ref>
 
Eventually, Ezio decided to remain in Monteriggioni and seek revenge on those responsible for the execution of his male kin.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[A Change of Plans]]</ref> He became, in effect, co-ruler of Monteriggioni with Mario, and the [[renovation]]s he funded and oversaw proved to herald a rebirth for the Villa and the city's overall state.<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> Although the exact length of time it took for the Villa to be rebuilt is unknown, the Villa once again became an opulent structure and headquarters for the Italian Assassins by late December 1499.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[X Marks the Spot]]</ref>
 
[[File:FallOfMonteriggioni Concept 2.JPG|thumb|250px|The Villa Auditore burning during the siege of Monteriggioni]]
However, on 2 January 1500, the [[Papacy|Papal forces]] led by [[Cesare Borgia]] besieged Monteriggioni, devastating the town and its Villa, while also killing Mario in the process.<ref name="Vilified">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' – [[Vilified]]</ref> After this, the Villa was abandoned, as Ezio left the ruins of Monteriggioni to [[Liberation of Rome|wage war]] against the [[House of Borgia|Borgia family]] in [[Rome]].<ref name="Emergency Exit"/>
 
===Lo Sparviero===
Despite the Brotherhood abandoning Monteriggioni, a single Assassin, [[Lo Sparviero]], elected to stay in the town, acting as a guardian for the citizens and a protector of the Auditore Family Crypt. Around 1501, he discovered that, while he was busy dealing with a group of mercenaries harassing the citizens, someone had infiltrated the crypt and stolen a chest hidden by Mario.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Identity]]'' – [[Niccolò Machiavelli's journal]] – [[Database: Journal – The Corrupted|Entry #1]]: "The Corrupted"</ref>
 
Eventually, Lo Sparviero uncovered the identity of the thief: [[Pietro de Galencia]], a [[Templars|Templar]] spy who had been living in Monteriggioni under the guise of a doctor. As he confronted the traitor, Pietro fled to the Villa Auditore, where several bribed guards were waiting, but Lo Sparviero killed them all.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Identity]]'' – [[A Healer's Blood]]</ref> However, it was too late to recover the chest stolen by Pietro, as it was already in Templar hands.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Identity]]'' – [[Niccolò Machiavelli's journal]] – [[Database: Journal – A Healer's Blood|Entry #2]]: "A Healer's Blood"</ref>
 
At some point over the next 50 years, the Auditore regained control of Monteriggioni, though apparently did not move back into the Villa, as much of the damage sustained in the 1500 siege remained visible by 2012. In 1554, the Auditore were betrayed by [[Giovannino Zeti]], keeper of the garrison and a Florentine exile, who gave the keys of the city to the [[House of Medici|Medici family]]. The Medici conquered Monteriggioni, though they allowed the Auditore to continue ruling the city as their vassals due to their families' good relationship.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Database: Monteriggioni]]</ref>
 
===Modern times===
{{Dialogue|Desmond|Wait. We're at the Auditore Villa?|Lucy|Yes. It's our last safehouse in Italy.|The Assassins arriving at the Villa.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood|21st century conversations}}
[[File:ACB Modern Villa.png|thumb|left|250px|The modern Villa Auditore]]
By 2012, the Villa had become a World Preservation Site, and was heralded as "''one of the [[Tuscany|Tuscan]] countryside's most beloved landmarks.''" A plaque displayed before the Villa contained details of its construction, as well as how it had been destroyed in [[Rodrigo Borgia]]'s military campaign in 1500.<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>
 
On 16 September 2012, [[Desmond Miles]], [[Lucy Stillman]], [[Rebecca Crane]], and [[Shaun Hastings]] set up a temporary base of operations within the [[Sanctuary]] beneath the Villa to escape the Templars searching for them. Throughout their stay, which lasted until October 10, the Assassins lived within the Villa, and came out only to collect provisions.<ref name="ACB"/>


==Rooms==
==Rooms==
[[File:Zw-mainhall.png|thumb|250px|Villa Auditore's main hall]]
The Villa Auditore had several rooms, some of which were hidden.
[[File:Zw-armorroom.png|thumb|250px|Villa Auditore's armor room]]
 
The Villa Auditore has nine accessible rooms.
===Main hall===
[[File:AC2 Villa Auditore Main Hall.png|thumb|250px|The main hall]]
The main hall of the villa served as the entrance, and led to several other rooms, as well as the courtyard which contained the [[Monteriggioni statuette|statuettes]] Ezio recovered from the city.<ref name="AC2"/>
 
It was well-furnished, even in its state of disrepair, and was spacious and featured an elegant design. A large marble staircase occupied the center, leading to the second floor, while a chandelier hung from above. Several famous paintings, such as ''Annunciation'' by [[Leonardo da Vinci]] and ''The Birth of Venus'' by [[Sandro Botticelli]] that were purchased by Ezio decorated the walls of the main hall.<ref name="AC2"/>
 
===Armory===
[[File:ACII-Armory 1.png|thumb|left|250px|The armor room]]
In the armory, Ezio was able to change his equipped weapons or armor within two separate rooms. The armor room contained the five sets of armor available to Ezio. The [[Armor of Altaïr]], once unlocked from the Sanctuary, was situated at the back of the armory.<ref name="AC2"/>
 
The center of the armory contained a model of the [[Flying Machine]] used during the assassination of [[Carlo Grimaldi]] in [[Venice]], along with a model of the carriage Ezio drove in the [[Apennine Mountains]] with Leonardo da Vinci.<ref name="AC2"/>
 
===Weapons room===
[[File:ACII Villa Auditore Weapons Room.jpg|thumb|250px|The weapons room]]
The weapons room contained Ezio's weapons, spread throughout several weapons racks. The left rack held the [[Schiavona]], the [[Common Sword|common]], the [[Captain's Sword|Captain's]], and the [[Milanese Sword|Milanese]] [[sword]]s. Meanwhile, the right rack possessed the [[Sword of Altaïr]], the [[Syrian Sabre|Old Syrian sword]], the [[Scimitar]], and the [[Venetian Falchion|Venetian]] and [[Florentine Falchion|Florentine falchions]].<ref name="AC2"/>
 
The other side had a rack which contained the Mercenario and the [[Condottiero War Hammer|Condottiero]] [[Blunt weapons|warhammers]], the Maul, and the Flanged and Cavalieri maces. The center of the room had a double sided rack that contained the [[short blades|small weapons]], comprised of the [[Dagger]], [[Knife]], [[Stiletto]], [[Channeled Cinquedea|Channeled]] and [[Notched Cinquedea|Notched cinquedeas]], and the [[Sultan's Knife|Sultan's]] and [[Butcher Knife|Butcher's knives]].<ref name="AC2"/>
 
===Workshop===
[[File:AC2 Monteriggioni Workshop.png|thumb|250px|left|The architect and Claudia in the workshop]]
The workshop was a room which contained several shelves lined with books, and a scale replica of Monteriggioni. Claudia Auditore occupied this room during Ezio's hunt for Rodrigo Borgia, keeping track of the city's finances and maintaining records of the Villa's refurbishment. Monteriggioni's resident [[architect]] was also present here, through whom Ezio made decisions regarding upgrades to the villa. This was also the place where Leonardo da Vinci set up his workshop after being invited to stay at the Villa by Mario Auditore.<ref name="AC2"/>
{{-}}
 
===Mario's study===
[[File:AC2 Mario's Study.png|thumb|250px|Mario's study]]
Mario Auditore's study was a room where Mario and Ezio would discuss the operations of the Assassin Order, including details of various missions Ezio would undertake. Before Ezio joined in the efforts of the Assassins though, the study had been the room in which his father, Giovanni, and Mario discussed plans for the order and missions.<ref name="AC2"/>
 
The [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's Codex|Codex]] Wall was located in the study, and the pages kept within it were added by Ezio once they were found throughout his journeys across Italy, after they had been decoded by Leonardo da Vinci. A few of the pages that had been on the wall were ones decoded by Giovanni. Standing before the Codex Wall was a pedestal meant for holding an [[Apples of Eden|Apple of Eden]]. By 1499, Ezio had collected all of the Codex pages. From there, he used his [[Eagle Vision]] to orient the pieces into their proper positions. When the puzzle was solved, the wall revealed a complete map of the world marked with the locations of the [[Pieces of Eden|Pieces of Eden]] and the different Vaults and [[Temple (Isu)|Temples]].<ref name="AC2"/>
 
Beyond the Codex Wall was Mario's desk, where he did writing work and presumably kept track of the Brotherhood. As well as this, there was a large bookcase in the room, which concealed a mechanism that hid the stairs to a place known as the Sanctuary. Finally, above the study was a balcony, which would connect to a corridor that led to the entrances of the workshop, and Maria and Ezio's rooms. Following the attack by Cesare Borgia, the room had been destroyed in part, but still held Claudia's record book, which Desmond Miles found still intact centuries later.<ref name="ACB"/>
 
===Maria's room===
[[File:AC2 Maria Auditore's Room.png|thumb|250px|left|Maria's room]]
Maria Auditore's room was the bedroom of Maria Auditore, located on the second floor of the villa. Like the rest of the villa, it was well furnished, and included a box for [[feather]]s that Ezio collected for her in memory of her youngest son and his brother, Petruccio. Maria spent around 20 years praying in this room, constantly in mourning for the loss of Petruccio. However, when Ezio had finally collected one hundred feathers, persisting even after his uncle Mario had written off Maria's grief as a hopeless cause, she finally spoke, thanking her son for not giving up on her.<ref name="AC2"/>
 
===Ezio's room===
[[File:AC2 Ezio's Room Right.png|thumb|250px|Ezio's room]]
Ezio Auditore's room was located at the top floor of the Villa Auditore. It served as a bedroom, study, and base of operations during his twenty-three year crusade to avenge his fallen father and two brothers, who were executed by members of the Templar Order. Paintings of Ezio's [[Assassination|assassination targets]] would be hung in his room after he had killed them.<ref name="AC2"/>
 
The room was supported by a wooden beam running up from the middle of the floor to the ceiling, and was taken up mostly by a desk littered with letters and documents. Ezio's room was slightly altered just before the siege of Monteriggioni, with the addition of a large bed and a bath tub, with a set of stairs leading up to it instead of a ladder. These were possibly added after Ezio had upgraded the Villa.<ref name="ACB"/>
 
[[File:Reunion 1.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio with Caterina in his room]]
In 1500, Ezio spent the night with [[Caterina Sforza]] when the city was attacked in the siege. A cannonball crashed through the wall of his room and damaged the wooden support beam in the center of the structure, causing the ceiling to collapse and cave in over half of the room. As a result, debris from the ceiling fell onto the Armor of Altaïr, prompting Ezio to leave it behind to engage in defending the Villa.<ref name="Vilified"/>
{{-}}
 
===Painting gallery===
{{Main|Painting gallery}}
[[File:AC2 Villa Auditore Painting Gallery.png|thumb|250px|The painting gallery in the Villa Auditore]]
At some point during 1454, Mario utilized the painting gallery in the Villa, taking advantage of his brother's connections in Florence to import fine art.<ref name="PL"/> From 1476 to 1499, Ezio gathered pieces of [[Renaissance]] artwork from [[art merchant]]s in several different cities during his travels, which were displayed in the villa's painting gallery. However, the paintings were either destroyed or stolen by the Borgia following the siege of Monteriggioni in 1500.<ref name="AC2"/><ref name="ACB"/>


*The Main Hall
===Sanctuary===
*The [[Armory]], with two rooms dedicated to weapons and armor
{{Main|Sanctuary}}
*[[Mario's Study]]
[[File:Sanctuary v.png|thumb|250px|left|The Sanctuary]]
*[[Maria's room]]
The Sanctuary was a stone chamber in Monteriggioni, used by the Assassins during both the Renaissance and [[modern times]]. It was a well-built chamber found underneath the Villa Auditore, and could be accessed primarily through an entrance hidden behind a bookshelf in the Villa study. Statues of seven legendary Assassins lined the walls. Six of these statues had corresponding [[Assassin Seals|seals]] at their base, which had to be collected and returned, in order to unlock the gate in front of the seventh statue of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]. This seventh statue also held the Armor of Altaïr until it was recovered by Ezio.<ref name="AC2"/>
*The [[painting gallery]]
*[[Ezio's room]] and Study
*The [[Sanctuary]]
A closed door presumably leads to Mario's room.


==Gameplay==
==Behind the scenes==
In the early stages of the game, Ezio is able to renovate both the town of Monteriggioni and the Auditore Villa.
While the Villa Auditore itself is fictional, it bears a passing resemblance to the {{Wiki|Villa di Maiano}} in its overall form, central portico, number of floors and tower. The Villa di Maiano is located in the town of Fiesole, just northwest of Florence, and was successively owned by the noble houses of [[House of Sforza|Sforza]] and [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi]] during the Renaissance. Additionally, there is a pattern on the Villa di Maiano's wrought iron gate that bears a striking resemblance to the [[Assassin insignia]].<ref>{{WP|Villa di Maiano}}</ref>


'''Methods to increase the town and villa's values are listed below:'''
The Villa was featured on the banner of Shaun Hastings' coffee stand, during his infiltration of the [[Abstergo Entertainment]] offices in [[Montreal]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' – [[21st century conversations|Modern day]]</ref>
*Renovating the [[Merchants|shops]] and other buildings through the architect
*Buying [[armor]] and [[weapons]]
*Purchasing [[Art Merchants|paintings]]
*Collecting [[Codex|Codex pages]]
*Obtaining the [[Assassin's Seal|six assassin's seals]]
*Collecting [[feather]]s
*Collecting the [[Monteriggioni Statuettes|statuettes]] scattered across Monteriggioni
*Unlocking the two models
*Obtaining [[Altaïr's armor]]
*Obtaining the portraits of all the conspirators (including conspirators from the [[Battle of Forlì]] and [[Bonfire of the Vanities]])


As Ezio invests in Monteriggioni, the Villa's and Monteriggioni's physical appearance improves over time. Boards across windows are taken down, overgrown plants recede, and flags bearing the assassin symbol appear around the roof. With each guild renovated, [[Courtesans]], [[Mercenaries]], and [[Thieves]] populate the town as well as their guild becoming avaliable to climb and get the treasure chests in them.
In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', one of [[Clay Kaczmarek]]'s [[Glyphs]] could be found on one of the Villa's walls. However, when Monteriggioni was seen again in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'', the glyph was no longer there.


==Trivia==
==Gallery==
*The glyph on the wall of the villa is a barcode, incorporated with the number 12212012. This presumably represents the end date of the Mayan calendar, December 21, 2012, which is also the scheduled launch date of [[Abstergo]]'s satellite or the end of Earth's days.
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180">
ACII Villa Auditore.jpg|Overview of the villa
ACIVilla.jpg|The villa in 1327, before Domenico's restoration
AC2 Promotional Screenshot 12.jpg|Ezio overlooking the villa
AC2 Ezio's Room Left.png|An alternate view of Ezio's room
AC2 Codex plain.png|The Codex Wall in Mario's study
ACII Villa Auditore Interior.jpg
ACII Villa Auditore Main Hall.jpg
ACII-Armory 2.png
AC2-featherbox.png|Maria's box of feathers
ACB Modern Study.png|Mario's study in 2010
ACB World Preservation Board.png|The World Preservation Site board in front of the villa in modern times
AC4 Villa Banner.png|A banner featuring the Villa Auditore
ACIdentity Villa Auditore.png|The villa's database image in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Identity]]''
ACB Crest Assassin Villa Auditore.png|The villa's Assassin crest
</gallery>


==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' novel]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' {{Io|painting}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Identity]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR]]''


{{ACII}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{AC2}}
{{ACBH}}
{{ACID}}
{{ACN}}
<!--[ru:Вилла Аудиторе]-->
[[Category:Tuscany]]
[[Category:Monteriggioni]]
[[Category:Monteriggioni]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Locations]]
[[Category:Residences]]
[[Category:Landmarks]]
[[Category:Assassin headquarters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Locations]]
[[Category:Villas]]
[[Category:Villa Auditore| ]]
[[Category:Articles revamp]]
[[Category:Good Articles]]

Latest revision as of 17:03, 28 May 2026

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"A key force in the protection of Monteriggioni for hundreds of years and a source of great architectural innovation..."
―Commemorative plaque for the Villa Auditore, 2012.[src]

The Villa Auditore was a familial home and stronghold of the Auditore family and the Italian Assassins, located within the Tuscan town of Monteriggioni. Purchased by Domenico Auditore in August 1327, it remained the home of the Auditore up until the turn of the 16th century, when it was heavily damaged during the siege of Monteriggioni.

History[edit | edit source]

Domenico Auditore[edit | edit source]

The villa was constructed in 1290. Thirty years later, in 1320, a Florentine attack left the façade damaged and in need of reconstruction. In August 1327,[1] Domenico Auditore purchased the Villa and subsequently erected a new façade, as well as a painting gallery within the building. He redesigned the Villa as both a home, fortress, and a training ground for the town.[2]

The building itself was filled with several hidden compartments and rooms, whilst the grounds catered to a number of different uses.[2] Following this, Domenico constructed a family crypt,[3] which would later be connected to an escape route within the Villa that led out to the north of Monteriggioni.[4]

Mario Auditore[edit | edit source]

"She's seen better days, I suppose. Believe me, I'd have her shining again... if only I had the time."
―Mario Auditore, on the villa's decrepit state, 1476.[src]-[m]
The decrepit Villa Auditore

By 1436, the Villa hosted the newest generation of Auditore Assassins: the brothers Mario and Giovanni Auditore. Following the death of their father and Giovanni's departure for Florence, Mario became the sole ruler of Monteriggioni and main resident of the Villa in 1454.[5][6]

Despite Mario's love for the building, both Monteriggioni and the Villa receded into disrepair due to him focusing his spending on warfare and mercenaries, rather than its upkeep. Instead, the Villa was mostly used for the storage of weapons and war equipment, and at one point, even a mysterious artifact that Mario had discovered hidden under Monteriggioni. During the city's defense in 1454, the Villa was also where Mario and his mercenaries interrogated Luciano Pezzati, a spy for the invading Florentine army.[6]

Ezio Auditore[edit | edit source]

In January 1477, Mario's nephew, Ezio Auditore, his mother Maria, and sister Claudia came seeking refuge in Monteriggioni after his brothers Federico and Petruccio were executed alongside Giovanni.[7] After resting in the Villa,[8][9] Ezio intended to take his mother and sister to Spain, much to Mario's protests.[10]

Eventually, Ezio decided to remain in Monteriggioni and seek revenge on those responsible for the execution of his male kin.[11] He became, in effect, co-ruler of Monteriggioni with Mario, and the renovations he funded and oversaw proved to herald a rebirth for the Villa and the city's overall state.[12] Although the exact length of time it took for the Villa to be rebuilt is unknown, the Villa once again became an opulent structure and headquarters for the Italian Assassins by late December 1499.[13]

The Villa Auditore burning during the siege of Monteriggioni

However, on 2 January 1500, the Papal forces led by Cesare Borgia besieged Monteriggioni, devastating the town and its Villa, while also killing Mario in the process.[14] After this, the Villa was abandoned, as Ezio left the ruins of Monteriggioni to wage war against the Borgia family in Rome.[4]

Lo Sparviero[edit | edit source]

Despite the Brotherhood abandoning Monteriggioni, a single Assassin, Lo Sparviero, elected to stay in the town, acting as a guardian for the citizens and a protector of the Auditore Family Crypt. Around 1501, he discovered that, while he was busy dealing with a group of mercenaries harassing the citizens, someone had infiltrated the crypt and stolen a chest hidden by Mario.[15]

Eventually, Lo Sparviero uncovered the identity of the thief: Pietro de Galencia, a Templar spy who had been living in Monteriggioni under the guise of a doctor. As he confronted the traitor, Pietro fled to the Villa Auditore, where several bribed guards were waiting, but Lo Sparviero killed them all.[16] However, it was too late to recover the chest stolen by Pietro, as it was already in Templar hands.[17]

At some point over the next 50 years, the Auditore regained control of Monteriggioni, though apparently did not move back into the Villa, as much of the damage sustained in the 1500 siege remained visible by 2012. In 1554, the Auditore were betrayed by Giovannino Zeti, keeper of the garrison and a Florentine exile, who gave the keys of the city to the Medici family. The Medici conquered Monteriggioni, though they allowed the Auditore to continue ruling the city as their vassals due to their families' good relationship.[18]

Modern times[edit | edit source]

Desmond: "Wait. We're at the Auditore Villa?"
Lucy: "Yes. It's our last safehouse in Italy."
—The Assassins arriving at the Villa.[src]-[m]
The modern Villa Auditore

By 2012, the Villa had become a World Preservation Site, and was heralded as "one of the Tuscan countryside's most beloved landmarks." A plaque displayed before the Villa contained details of its construction, as well as how it had been destroyed in Rodrigo Borgia's military campaign in 1500.[19]

On 16 September 2012, Desmond Miles, Lucy Stillman, Rebecca Crane, and Shaun Hastings set up a temporary base of operations within the Sanctuary beneath the Villa to escape the Templars searching for them. Throughout their stay, which lasted until October 10, the Assassins lived within the Villa, and came out only to collect provisions.[19]

Rooms[edit | edit source]

The Villa Auditore had several rooms, some of which were hidden.

Main hall[edit | edit source]

The main hall

The main hall of the villa served as the entrance, and led to several other rooms, as well as the courtyard which contained the statuettes Ezio recovered from the city.[12]

It was well-furnished, even in its state of disrepair, and was spacious and featured an elegant design. A large marble staircase occupied the center, leading to the second floor, while a chandelier hung from above. Several famous paintings, such as Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci and The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli that were purchased by Ezio decorated the walls of the main hall.[12]

Armory[edit | edit source]

The armor room

In the armory, Ezio was able to change his equipped weapons or armor within two separate rooms. The armor room contained the five sets of armor available to Ezio. The Armor of Altaïr, once unlocked from the Sanctuary, was situated at the back of the armory.[12]

The center of the armory contained a model of the Flying Machine used during the assassination of Carlo Grimaldi in Venice, along with a model of the carriage Ezio drove in the Apennine Mountains with Leonardo da Vinci.[12]

Weapons room[edit | edit source]

The weapons room

The weapons room contained Ezio's weapons, spread throughout several weapons racks. The left rack held the Schiavona, the common, the Captain's, and the Milanese swords. Meanwhile, the right rack possessed the Sword of Altaïr, the Old Syrian sword, the Scimitar, and the Venetian and Florentine falchions.[12]

The other side had a rack which contained the Mercenario and the Condottiero warhammers, the Maul, and the Flanged and Cavalieri maces. The center of the room had a double sided rack that contained the small weapons, comprised of the Dagger, Knife, Stiletto, Channeled and Notched cinquedeas, and the Sultan's and Butcher's knives.[12]

Workshop[edit | edit source]

The architect and Claudia in the workshop

The workshop was a room which contained several shelves lined with books, and a scale replica of Monteriggioni. Claudia Auditore occupied this room during Ezio's hunt for Rodrigo Borgia, keeping track of the city's finances and maintaining records of the Villa's refurbishment. Monteriggioni's resident architect was also present here, through whom Ezio made decisions regarding upgrades to the villa. This was also the place where Leonardo da Vinci set up his workshop after being invited to stay at the Villa by Mario Auditore.[12]

Mario's study[edit | edit source]

Mario's study

Mario Auditore's study was a room where Mario and Ezio would discuss the operations of the Assassin Order, including details of various missions Ezio would undertake. Before Ezio joined in the efforts of the Assassins though, the study had been the room in which his father, Giovanni, and Mario discussed plans for the order and missions.[12]

The Codex Wall was located in the study, and the pages kept within it were added by Ezio once they were found throughout his journeys across Italy, after they had been decoded by Leonardo da Vinci. A few of the pages that had been on the wall were ones decoded by Giovanni. Standing before the Codex Wall was a pedestal meant for holding an Apple of Eden. By 1499, Ezio had collected all of the Codex pages. From there, he used his Eagle Vision to orient the pieces into their proper positions. When the puzzle was solved, the wall revealed a complete map of the world marked with the locations of the Pieces of Eden and the different Vaults and Temples.[12]

Beyond the Codex Wall was Mario's desk, where he did writing work and presumably kept track of the Brotherhood. As well as this, there was a large bookcase in the room, which concealed a mechanism that hid the stairs to a place known as the Sanctuary. Finally, above the study was a balcony, which would connect to a corridor that led to the entrances of the workshop, and Maria and Ezio's rooms. Following the attack by Cesare Borgia, the room had been destroyed in part, but still held Claudia's record book, which Desmond Miles found still intact centuries later.[19]

Maria's room[edit | edit source]

Maria's room

Maria Auditore's room was the bedroom of Maria Auditore, located on the second floor of the villa. Like the rest of the villa, it was well furnished, and included a box for feathers that Ezio collected for her in memory of her youngest son and his brother, Petruccio. Maria spent around 20 years praying in this room, constantly in mourning for the loss of Petruccio. However, when Ezio had finally collected one hundred feathers, persisting even after his uncle Mario had written off Maria's grief as a hopeless cause, she finally spoke, thanking her son for not giving up on her.[12]

Ezio's room[edit | edit source]

Ezio's room

Ezio Auditore's room was located at the top floor of the Villa Auditore. It served as a bedroom, study, and base of operations during his twenty-three year crusade to avenge his fallen father and two brothers, who were executed by members of the Templar Order. Paintings of Ezio's assassination targets would be hung in his room after he had killed them.[12]

The room was supported by a wooden beam running up from the middle of the floor to the ceiling, and was taken up mostly by a desk littered with letters and documents. Ezio's room was slightly altered just before the siege of Monteriggioni, with the addition of a large bed and a bath tub, with a set of stairs leading up to it instead of a ladder. These were possibly added after Ezio had upgraded the Villa.[19]

Ezio with Caterina in his room

In 1500, Ezio spent the night with Caterina Sforza when the city was attacked in the siege. A cannonball crashed through the wall of his room and damaged the wooden support beam in the center of the structure, causing the ceiling to collapse and cave in over half of the room. As a result, debris from the ceiling fell onto the Armor of Altaïr, prompting Ezio to leave it behind to engage in defending the Villa.[14]

Painting gallery[edit | edit source]

Main article: Painting gallery
The painting gallery in the Villa Auditore

At some point during 1454, Mario utilized the painting gallery in the Villa, taking advantage of his brother's connections in Florence to import fine art.[6] From 1476 to 1499, Ezio gathered pieces of Renaissance artwork from art merchants in several different cities during his travels, which were displayed in the villa's painting gallery. However, the paintings were either destroyed or stolen by the Borgia following the siege of Monteriggioni in 1500.[12][19]

Sanctuary[edit | edit source]

Main article: Sanctuary
The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary was a stone chamber in Monteriggioni, used by the Assassins during both the Renaissance and modern times. It was a well-built chamber found underneath the Villa Auditore, and could be accessed primarily through an entrance hidden behind a bookshelf in the Villa study. Statues of seven legendary Assassins lined the walls. Six of these statues had corresponding seals at their base, which had to be collected and returned, in order to unlock the gate in front of the seventh statue of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. This seventh statue also held the Armor of Altaïr until it was recovered by Ezio.[12]

Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]

While the Villa Auditore itself is fictional, it bears a passing resemblance to the Villa di Maiano in its overall form, central portico, number of floors and tower. The Villa di Maiano is located in the town of Fiesole, just northwest of Florence, and was successively owned by the noble houses of Sforza and Pazzi during the Renaissance. Additionally, there is a pattern on the Villa di Maiano's wrought iron gate that bears a striking resemblance to the Assassin insignia.[20]

The Villa was featured on the banner of Shaun Hastings' coffee stand, during his infiltration of the Abstergo Entertainment offices in Montreal.[21]

In Assassin's Creed II, one of Clay Kaczmarek's Glyphs could be found on one of the Villa's walls. However, when Monteriggioni was seen again in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the glyph was no longer there.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • Overview of the villa
    Overview of the villa
  • The villa in 1327, before Domenico's restoration
    The villa in 1327, before Domenico's restoration
  • Ezio overlooking the villa
    Ezio overlooking the villa
  • An alternate view of Ezio's room
    An alternate view of Ezio's room
  • The Codex Wall in Mario's study
    The Codex Wall in Mario's study
  • Maria's box of feathers
    Maria's box of feathers
  • Mario's study in 2010
    Mario's study in 2010
  • The World Preservation Site board in front of the villa in modern times
    The World Preservation Site board in front of the villa in modern times
  • A banner featuring the Villa Auditore
    A banner featuring the Villa Auditore
  • The villa's database image in Assassin's Creed: Identity
    The villa's database image in Assassin's Creed: Identity
  • The villa's Assassin crest
    The villa's Assassin crest

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Initiates – Database: A Villa for the Auditore
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Assassin's Creed II – Database: Villa Auditore
  3. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Paying Respects
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood – Emergency Exit
  5. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Database: Mario Auditore
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy – Italian Wars: Chapter 3 - Mario Auditore
  7. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Roadside Assistance
  8. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Casa Dolce Casa
  9. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Practice Makes Perfect
  10. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – What Goes Around
  11. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – A Change of Plans
  12. ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 Assassin's Creed II
  13. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – X Marks the Spot
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood – Vilified
  15. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Identity – Niccolò Machiavelli's journal – Entry #1: "The Corrupted"
  16. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Identity – A Healer's Blood
  17. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Identity – Niccolò Machiavelli's journal – Entry #2: "A Healer's Blood"
  18. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Database: Monteriggioni
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
  20. ↑ Villa di Maiano on Wikipedia
  21. ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Modern day

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