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Villa Auditore

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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.

The Villa Auditore was a familial home and stronghold of the Auditore family, located within the city of Monteriggioni in Tuscany.

Purchased by the family some time after 1321, it remained the home to the Auditore up until the turn of the 16th century, when it was heavily damaged during the Fall of Monteriggioni.

History

Domenico Auditore

The villa was constructed in 1290. In 1320, a Florentine attack left the facade damaged, and in need of reconstruction. After the death of Dante Alighieri in 1321, Domenico Auditore purchased the Villa, and subsequently erected a new facade, as well as a painting gallery within. He redesigned the Villa not only as a home, but as a fortress and training ground for the town.

The building itself was filled with hidden compartments and rooms, whilst the grounds catered to a number of different uses. Later, Domenico constructed the Auditore Family Crypt, which would later also be connected to an escape route within the Villa that led out to the north of Monteriggioni.

Mario Auditore

The run-down 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 resident of the Villa in 1454.

Despite Mario's love for the Villa, it fell into disrepair along with the city it protected, due to him spending his money on warfare and mercenaries, rather than its upkeep. Instead, the Villa was mostly used for storing weapons and equipment of war, and at one point, even a mysterious artifact Mario had discovered hidden under Monteriggioni.

During the Defense of Monteriggioni in 1454, the Villa was also where Mario and his mercenaries interrogated Luciano Pezzati, a spy for the invading Florentine army.

Ezio Auditore

In 1476, Mario's nephew, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, as well as his mother and sister, came seeking refuge in Monteriggioni after the execution of his father and brothers. After resting in the Villa, Ezio intended to take his mother and sister to Spain, much to Mario's protests.

Eventually, Ezio decided to remain in Monteriggioni, and seek revenge on those responsible for the execution. He became, in effect, co-ruler of Monteriggioni with Mario, and the renovations he funded and oversaw proved to herald a rebirth for not only the Villa, but the city of Monteriggioni as well.

Although the exact length of time it took for the Villa to be rebuilt is unknown, by late December 1499, it was once again an opulent structure, as well as the headquarters of the Assassin Order in Italy.

File:Villaburn.PNG

Villa Auditore burning during the Fall of Monteriggioni.

However, on the 2nd of January, 1500, the Papal forces led by Cesare Borgia besieged Monteriggioni, thus devastating the town and its Villa, and killing Mario. After this, the Villa was abandoned, as Ezio left the ruins of Monteriggioni to wage war against the Borgia in Rome.

Sometime before 1554, the Auditore resumed control over Monteriggioni, though the Villa was not rebuilt. 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.

The Medici conquered Monteriggioni, though they allowed the Auditore to continue ruling the city due to their families' good relationship.

Modern times

Desmond: "Wait. We're at the Auditore Villa?"

Lucy: "Yes. It's our last safehouse in Italy."

—The Assassins arriving at the Villa.

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 Pope Alexander VI's military campaign in 1500.

On September 9, 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.

Rooms

The Villa Auditore had several rooms, some of which were hidden. Below is a list of the known rooms.

• Main hall
• The Armory
• Mario's study
• Maria's room
• Painting gallery
• Ezio's room and study
• The Assassin Sanctuary

Gallery

• 
  Armory.
• Main Hall.
  Main Hall.
• Ezio's room.
  Ezio's room.
• 
  The Sanctuary.
• Painting gallery.
  Painting gallery.
• 
  Maria's room.
• 
  Mario's study, and the Codex Wall.
• 
  Mario's study in the modern times.
• 
  The World Preservation Site board in front of the modern villa.

References

[Category:Monteriggioni]] [Category:Landmarks]] [Category:Villa Auditore]] [Category:Tuscany]] [Category:Assassin Order]]