Welcome to 1550: where the history of San Vito, “Castrum Sancti Viti”, comes to life!
If you are out for a walk today, just before you reach Piazza Governo Vecchio, close your eyes for a second, and mind you don’t trip. Can you smell the burning coal? Hear the rhythmic beat of the hammer on the anvil? The pawing of the Marquis’s horses waiting to be shod?
Our showcase on San Vito Lovers takes you on a journey through time today, to 1550 to be precise, when this little square was the beating, hard-working and well-protected heart of the old village.
Here, where today we welcome you with our services, life once flowed between ingenuity, defence and ancient trades:
- The Blacksmith’s and Farrier’s workshop: on the right-hand side the fire of the forge never went out. Steel was hammered into sturdy weapons and hoes for working the land, while on the left the steeds of the nobility were looked after.
- The Invisible Gate: a strategic and fascinating layout, designed to blend in and hide the village from the eyes of Saracen pirates. A square that was a fortress, but also one big family.
- The pride of stone: no Baroque splendour or pretence, just proud, warm exposed sandstone and the Latin inscription that still tells of the changes of ownership and the devotion of the time.
Yesterday as today, the passion for quality does not change
In 1550 the master craftsmen put their soul into metal and stone to serve the community and the lords of the village. Today, within this same historic setting, we carry on that same dedication, attention to detail and love for our land.
Come and see us in Piazza Governo Vecchio: breathe in the history, experience the excellence of San Vito!
The image is an imaginative reconstruction created with artificial intelligence.