3725 Castignano and the Templaria

[FONT=Verdana]For those of you interested in conspiriology and[/FONT][FONT=Verdana] the da Vinci Code, you might like to know that there is a fascinating association between the Kignts Templar and the medieval village of Castignano (located halfway between San Benedetto del Tronto and Ascoli Piceno). Castignano holds a festival called Templaria on the 15th of August each year to celebrate the ancient Ordine Templari. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]In fact, the village even has a Via dei Templari and according to local legend, the Knights Templar are buried here in an ancient burial ground in the vicinity of the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Borgo. The knights were apparently interred face down, fully armoured and are ready to come back to life and fight if summoned.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]http://www.templaria.it[/FONT]

Category
Do & See

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/22/2006 - 15:59

Lasciamoli dormire!!!! Don't wake them up !!!
Another film on the subject might just have the vatican throw Le Marche out of favour!!!
On second thoughts might not be a bad idea!!:rolleyes:

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/22/2006 - 16:56

Fascinating stuff these Templars - here in Umbria we have a magnificent Castle of the Templars in Magione, where they do occasional "son et lumiers" on historical Templar related subjects - but also, most of the most desirable ruins around Magione tend to be owned by the Knights Templars!! Dealing with them is slightly easier than dealing with La Chiesa......:)....but I feel a bit ignorant in that I only know of them as C21st landowners, and no nothing of their history. St George comes to mind (who I believe was a Turk), but I will stand corrected!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 09:34

[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3][U]Castignano[/U][/SIZE][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]This delightful hill top village rests 473 metres above sea level at the front of Mount Ascensione, 24 km from the main provincial town Ascoli and the popular seaside resort of San Benedetto.[/SIZE][/COLOR]
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[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]Set in the heart of the DOC vineyards of Rosso Piceno Superiore, visitors will not be disappointed with the quality of the wine found at the Cantine di Castignano. This is in fact my favourite Cantina and I am a rather too frequent visitor (well, you go and they offer you free wine to taste!!). The growing importance of locally produced wine is helping to ensure that the countryside retains its characteristic features and protecting the important farming community. Try the local Pecorino white wine![/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]The views from the village stretch across the rolling hills, east to the clear blue of the Adriatic Sea, and south and west to the Appenine Mountain chain of Ascoli Piceno and Abruzzo. The immediate countryside around the village is quite dramatic: bold hills, cut away by the erosion of the water abundant in this area and the phenomenon of the geological Calanchi, a special feature of this area, locally cultivated aniseed, the extract of which gives the local spirit Mistra its distinctive flavour and horse chestnuts- roasted on open fires in many of the village squares during the autumn and washed down with Vino Cotto- another local phenomenon. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]As with all the medieval hilltop villages of this province, Castignano has a wealth of spectacular buildings and artistic and cultural delights. The gothic church of Saint Marina is particularly noticeable with its cotto cornicing- note the T symbol (symbol of the powerful military order of the temple) of the templars. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]The church of St. Egido, with its neo-classic style, preserves some valuable works of art including the Madonna Del Rosario (late 16th/early 17th century), and an oil painting by Simone De Magistris- famous Le Marche artist. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]Castignano’s most important festival is the festa of the Templars. It is a three or four day spectacular (around the 16th, 17th and 18th of August), not to be missed. It’s not only an historic rievocazione, but a complete medieval festa with a different theme each year. I loved it – but you really need to learn Italian first especially as you have to pay to enter! There are several paid performers putting on high quality acts, mostly comical and surprisingly funny. Make sure that you visit the monks near the top of the village to claim your free food and beer.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]Castignano is one of the area's larger villages and there is always something happening here. The people are particularly friendly (or at least they are after I've been for a wine tasting). At nearby Capradosso there are two excellent restaurants, one the Madonnina, and the other I don't know (it doesn't even look like a restaurant!), but the food is great.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][SIZE=3]p.s. I went to the Cantina on tuesday and Giampiero opened 3 bottles of wine for me to taste. Funny, as I have already tasted them all, several times. I must be a good customer!!!!!!!!!!!!![/SIZE][/COLOR]
[url=http://www.southernlemarche.com]LE MARCHE[/url]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 12:04

Castignano has many Templar references, Chiesa San Pietro e Paolo at the very top of town also has templar symbols in terracotta tiles. Certainly would have been an interesting area several hundred years ago to see what was going on.
This area was heavily influenced by this order as Ancona was a major port for sailing east for the Crusades. One of the explanations given for Santa Casa in Loretto.