The Commenda of the Knights of Malta is located in Centignano, Vignanello, a village dedicated for centuries to farming which continues to this day to produce great varieties of extra virgin olive oil, chestnuts, hazelnuts, grapes, wine, and many homemade delicacies and bio specialty products. 

This fifteenth century Commenda has been owned since 1990  by the d’Aquino di Caramanico family and was first  restored by Prince of San Severo Guido d’Aquino di Caramanico and after his death in 2012 by his son, Filippo d’Aquino di Caramanico,  with the extraordinary  contribution of the artist Cesare Barro.

The latest restoration of The Commenda of the Knights of Malta reflects this artist’s very elegant, simple and gracious style by combining the original structure with his own sophisticated taste in modern art. In fact from the wrought iron beds in each suite, to the Order of Malta wrought lights decorating the Commenda, to the tables and the furniture, Cesare Barro’s has been able to provide the property with all the latest modern and technological comforts and to maintain its particular historic nature.

History

The Commenda of the Knights of Malta was built during the 15^th century although its first  official description by the "commendatore" Sir Tiberio Capoferro dates back to 1520.  He was, a Roman  nobleman and brother of the Governor of Vignanello (Viterbo), Mons. Domenico Capoferreo. The Archives of the Sovereign Military order of Malta also show that frà Nicolò Tornaquinci of the Priory of Pisa was given the title of “commendatore” and the very opulent Commenda, called Santa Maria di Centignano, at the time in which the knights of Malta  had  their seat at the Fortress of Viterbo, ceded  to them by Pope Clement VIII in 1523.

The knights of Malta mission of assistance to pilgrims was carried out in this very ancient county seat, which remained their residence for several centuries, up to the Napoleonic invasion of the island of Malta in 1798. After that the Commenda was ceded to the local feudatories, who were from 1536 the Marescotti, Counts of Vignanello.

One branch of the Counts Marescotti died out in the Martini Marescotti and these in turn died out at the beginning of the 20^th century in the Princes del Drago di Parrano; and then in 1990 The Commenda of the Knights of Malta was finally ceded to the present owners; the Princes d’Aquino di San Severo who have overseen the restoration of the entire complex. From the point of view of the architectural plant the "Commenda" has undergone various changes in the course of the centuries.

Today, after reconstruction and restoration it looks like the original must have, with the structure of the preceding 15^th and 16^th centuries preserved. In fact in the reception hall of the meeting room of the church it is possible to see almost all the original main trusses of the beams that support the roof; and likewise all the sections of the exterior windows and interior doors done in peperino marble are authentic.