Villa Bethania
Encyclopedia
The Villa Bethania was constructed in the French village of Rennes-le-Château
between 1901-1905 as part of the former estate
of the Abbé Bérenger Saunière
, in the name of his maidservant Marie Dénarnaud.
was laid on 3 June 1901 and building work was completed by May 1905. The architect was Tiburce Caminade of Limoux
, the Master builder Elie Bot from Luc-sur-Aude
, and the contractor in charge of building the roof was Joseph Fabre of Dourgne
. Surviving receipts and existing account books belonging to Saunière reveal that the construction of his estate that included the Villa Bethania (and purchases of land) between 1898 and 1905 cost 26,417 Francs.
The interior of the Villa Bethania is decorated with religious symbolism that includes a terracotta statue version of Murillo
's painting Assumption of the Virgin, a figurine of the Infant Jesus of Prague
, a painting of Thérèse of Lisieux (also known as Thérèse of the Child Jesus) and a tapestry by the artist Alphonse Mucha. Stained glass
windows depicting symbolism of the Sacred Heart
complement the Sacred Heart statue of Jesus Christ situated above the entrance to the Villa.
Saunière stated during his ecclesiastical trial that it was intended as a home for retired priests.
. Saunière refused the Nomination and resigned, continuing as unofficial priest of Rennes-le-Château - in 1910 building a special conservatory by the side of the Villa Bethania that served as a Private Chapel, containing an Altar where he continued to celebrate the Catholic Ritual of the Mass
- obtaining his religious materials from Pascal Faraco of Carcassonne, who dealt with religious items that had previously belonged to French priests that had been expelled from the country.
in 1913.
Following Saunière’s death in 1917, Marie Dénarnaud received permission from the local commune
to continue living in the Presbytery and she put the Villa Bethania up for sale again - for an exaggerated asking price of 200,000 Francs, as suggested by Abbé Eugène Grassaud on 10 May 1918 - she found herself in trouble unable to pay the French property taxes
, and was forced to borrow money from friends over a period of decades until Noël Corbu
became its owner in 1946, and who settled all her personal financial debts. This was the first time the Villa Bethania became occupied.
1955, the Villa Bethania was turned it into a Hotel
by Noël Corbu who called it the Hotel de la Tour. Corbu also opened a restaurant in rooms underneath the belvedere that connected the Tour Magdala to the orangery (also installing windows). It was during this time that Corbu began circulating the story that Bérenger Saunière discovered the treasure of Blanche of Castile
. Corbu's story attracted custom and later achieved national fame through articles in the press, eventually catching the attention of Pierre Plantard
and inspiring the 1967 book L'Or de Rennes by Gérard de Sède
.
Since 2000, the Villa Bethania has been the property of the local Municipal council
of Rennes-le-Château.
Rennes-le-Château
Rennes-le-Château is a commune in the Aude department in Languedoc in southern France.This small French hilltop village is known internationally, and receives tens of thousands of visitors per year, for being at the center of various conspiracy theories, and for being the location of an alleged...
between 1901-1905 as part of the former estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
of the Abbé Bérenger Saunière
Bérenger Saunière
François Bérenger Saunière was a Roman Catholic priest in the French village of Rennes-le-Château, in the Aude region, officially from 1885 until he was transferred to another village in 1909 by his bishop, a nomination he declined and subsequently resigned...
, in the name of his maidservant Marie Dénarnaud.
History
Its foundation stoneCornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was laid on 3 June 1901 and building work was completed by May 1905. The architect was Tiburce Caminade of Limoux
Limoux
Limoux is a commune and subprefecture in the Aude department, a part of the ancient Languedoc province and the present-day Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France...
, the Master builder Elie Bot from Luc-sur-Aude
Luc-sur-Aude
Luc-sur-Aude is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, and the contractor in charge of building the roof was Joseph Fabre of Dourgne
Dourgne
Dourgne is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-Demographics:-Sites and Monuments:Dourgne is known for its two Benedictine monasteries, the En Calcat Abbey and the Sainte Scholastique Abbey, both founded in 1890....
. Surviving receipts and existing account books belonging to Saunière reveal that the construction of his estate that included the Villa Bethania (and purchases of land) between 1898 and 1905 cost 26,417 Francs.
The interior of the Villa Bethania is decorated with religious symbolism that includes a terracotta statue version of Murillo
Bartolomé Estéban Murillo
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was a Spanish Baroque painter. Although he is best known for his religious works, Murillo also produced a considerable number of paintings of contemporary women and children...
's painting Assumption of the Virgin, a figurine of the Infant Jesus of Prague
Infant Jesus of Prague
Infant Jesus of Prague is a famous statue of infant Jesus located in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana, Prague.- History :Its earliest history can be traced back to Prague in the year 1628 when the small, 19-inch high, wax statue of the Infant Jesus was given by Princess Polyxena...
, a painting of Thérèse of Lisieux (also known as Thérèse of the Child Jesus) and a tapestry by the artist Alphonse Mucha. Stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows depicting symbolism of the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
complement the Sacred Heart statue of Jesus Christ situated above the entrance to the Villa.
Saunière stated during his ecclesiastical trial that it was intended as a home for retired priests.
Private chapel
In January 1909 the bishop of Carcassonne transferred Saunière to the village of CoustougeCoustouge
Coustouge is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:...
. Saunière refused the Nomination and resigned, continuing as unofficial priest of Rennes-le-Château - in 1910 building a special conservatory by the side of the Villa Bethania that served as a Private Chapel, containing an Altar where he continued to celebrate the Catholic Ritual of the Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
- obtaining his religious materials from Pascal Faraco of Carcassonne, who dealt with religious items that had previously belonged to French priests that had been expelled from the country.
For sale
The Villa Bethania was first put up for sale by Bérenger Saunière in 1911 when he began negotiating in November of that year with the Banque Petitjean in Limoux, during the final stages of his ecclesiastical trial that resulted in his suspension from the priesthood on 5 December 1911. Surviving correspondence belonging to Saunière reveals his estate was valued at 18,000 Francs by the Crédit Foncier de FranceCrédit Foncier de France
Crédit Foncier de France is a national mortgage bank of France. A subsidiary of the Groupe Caisse d'Epargne, its headquarters is located in Charenton, 100 metres outside the Paris city limits.-History:...
in 1913.
Following Saunière’s death in 1917, Marie Dénarnaud received permission from the local commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
to continue living in the Presbytery and she put the Villa Bethania up for sale again - for an exaggerated asking price of 200,000 Francs, as suggested by Abbé Eugène Grassaud on 10 May 1918 - she found herself in trouble unable to pay the French property taxes
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
, and was forced to borrow money from friends over a period of decades until Noël Corbu
Noel Corbu
Noël Corbu is best known as a former restaurateur in the Southern French village of Rennes-le-Château, who from the mid-1950s circulated the story that Bérenger Saunière discovered the treasure of Blanche of Castile....
became its owner in 1946, and who settled all her personal financial debts. This was the first time the Villa Bethania became occupied.
Hotel and restaurant
During EasterEaster
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
1955, the Villa Bethania was turned it into a Hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
by Noël Corbu who called it the Hotel de la Tour. Corbu also opened a restaurant in rooms underneath the belvedere that connected the Tour Magdala to the orangery (also installing windows). It was during this time that Corbu began circulating the story that Bérenger Saunière discovered the treasure of Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile , was a Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis VIII. She acted as regent twice during the reign of her son, Louis IX....
. Corbu's story attracted custom and later achieved national fame through articles in the press, eventually catching the attention of Pierre Plantard
Pierre Plantard
Pierre Athanase Marie Plantard was a French draughtsman, best known for being the principal perpetrator of the Priory of Sion hoax, by which he claimed from the 1960s onwards that he was a Merovingian descendant of Dagobert II and the "Great Monarch" prophesied by Nostradamus.-Surname:Pierre...
and inspiring the 1967 book L'Or de Rennes by Gérard de Sède
Gérard de Sède
Géraud Marie de Sède de Liéoux was born in Paris to parents who supported the right-wing politics of Action Française....
.
Since 2000, the Villa Bethania has been the property of the local Municipal council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
of Rennes-le-Château.
Further reading
- Claire Corbu, Antoine Captier, L'héritage de l'Abbé Saunière (Nice: Editions Bélisane, 1985). ISBN 2-902296-56-8.
- Jacques Rivière, Le Fabuleux trésor de Rennes-le-Château, (Nice: Editions Bélisane, 1983). ISBN 2-902296-42-8
External links
- Villa Béthanie at renneslechateau.com