Thursday, May 7, 2015

Roadside Attraction: Santarella, Gingerbread House - Tyringham, MA

Santarella, Gingerbread House
Tyringham, MA


N 42° 15.212 W 073° 12.759


Short Description: 

Unusual home of sculptor Sir Henry Hudson Kitson located on Main Road in Tyringham, MA.



Long Description:

Santarella was built by the noted sculptor Henry Hudson Kitson, creator of the Lexington Minuteman statue. What started out as a simple conversion of a barn into a studio evolved into this extraordinary building/sculpture. He poured all his assets and twenty-five years of his life into creating this property and as a result he died penniless.

The building has several distinguishing and unusual features; such as, the stained glass windows in the pointed Gothic style and the rocks along the side of the building which are an attempt to integrate the building into its environment. The most notable element is the wavy simulated, 80 ton, thatch roof which is actually composed of hand made asphalt singles. Construction of the roof took three workers twelve years.

Santarella is now used as a bed and breakfast and a venue for special events.

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