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| The Monastery |
According to the Keeper's Compendium, the secret base, command center and most important the seat of the famed Library of the Order of the Sword of St.Jerome is somewhere in the Alps, in a monastery.
I alway placed the secret base of the Order on the top of Monte Pirchiriano, that's in the Alps all right, halfway between Italy and France, on the south side of Susa Valley.
Why there?
on the top of the mountain stands one of the most ancient (no
less than 1000 years old) monasteries in the Alpine area.
the
monastery is dedicated to St. Michael (archangel, wielder
of the sword and banisher of the dragon)
despite
its highly strategic position (as it dominates the
best communication way between two nations), the monastery was never occupied
by passing troops - even if it was object of a cannon barrage in the 17th
century. Not even the nazis got there, as the Vatican put its foot
down hard.
the
monastery is famous for its great collection of ancient
books (sadly closed to the public)
The area is well known for its long history of uncanny happenings, so much so that nearby Mount Musiné (ancient Mons Asinarius), right in front of Mount Pirchiriano, is the object of much study from assorted crackpots as an occult power center/ufo landing base.
It must also be noted that while an highly isolated spot, and extremely easy to defend, the St. Michael monastery has all the advantages of being in the sticks while being fairly close to civilization (about 40 minutes driving from Caselle International Airport).
Considering it occupies the whole peak - imagine
three large four/five-floors
buildings plus a cathedral set around a largish square - plus various subsidiary
buildings (today ruins) scattered down the side of the mountain, the place
is big.
Some highlights on the structure's history could be interesting.
According to tradition, Mount Pirchiriano was used as a fortified base by
the passing troops of Emperor Charles Magnus in the 8th century. The summit
of the mountain probably housed an observation post.
In
the mid 900s Giovanni, the Bishop of Ravenna, sensing that the end
of the world is close at hand, decides to leave all mundane things behind
and goes looking for a suitably isolated spot for a bit of ascetic activity.
Reaching Susa Valley - about 700 kms from Ravenna - he first sets his
sights on nearby Mount Caprasio,
but Saint Michael himself soon steps in and with a little persuasion (which
includes
a host of flying creatures that by night move the building materials from
one mountain to the other) convinces the former Bishop that Mount Pirchiriano
is a better place.
About
ten years later, Hugh lord of Auvergne (or is it Averoigne?), to
pay for his many sins is offered a choice by his friend Pope Silvester II
- either seven years of exhile, or building a monastery. He goes for the
second, and, having discovered the Pirchiriano area thanks to Giovanni's
shack, buys the whole mountain from the Dukes of Turin
and builds a great monastery. The place is manned by a particularly
strict
group of Benedectine monks - whose upper echelons normally come from Auvergne.
The
place prospers. In 1120, the architect Nicolò (already employed
by many Italian lords) is called to redesign the whole structure. He does,
adding to the monastery a wealth of esotheric and occult symbols, including
the "Porta dello Zodiaco" (Zodiac Gate) of the new cathedral. The symbols
are the usual (?) odd mix of Christian and pagan stuff. The library is renowned
in all of Europe. Among the many frescoes adorning the place, we can find
one of Sword-wielding, book-holding St. Brigid.
All
goes for the best till 1622.
In
this year, pope Gregorio XV suppresses the monastery - for no known
reasons - and the last three remaining monks manning the premises are forced
to leave.
A few years later - apparently with the pope's leave - the French
troops
use the monastery as a target for gunnery practice on their way to the siege
of Turin.
The
place is left alone on its mountain till 1827.
In this year, marquis Massimo
d'Azeglio (later one of the key characters
in the Italian Independence, and almost certainly a member of the Freemasons
and the Carbonari), while on a tour of the Alps "discovers" the remains of
the monastery and spends a few weeks drawing pictures of the place. He publishes
his drawings in a book (1829) and starts a movement to rebuild the structure.
In less than a decade the place is refurbished under the aegis of the King
of Savoy and given to the Rosminian monks - a group close to the Savoy dinasty.
And this is more or less it.
According
to some sources, the monastery in which is set Eco's
"The Name
of the Rose" is inspired by the San Michele monastery. In particular the
semi- allucinatory description of the church's gate is an accurate - if baroque
- description of the already mentioned Zodiac Gate.
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