T
he Knights Templar, the legendary medieval
order ultimately banned by King and Pope, had their
medieval headquarters near Juan Pablo and Pilar
Molyneux���s house, Hotel (mansion) Claude Passart, in
the Marais section of Paris. Originally, the house, built
on medieval lots existent during the Knights��� sway, had
a garden that extended to Rue du Temple. Built for Louis
XIII���s private secretary and solicitor, the house still retains
beams from that period. On the exterior, the striking
fa��ade bears Italian influences, perhaps an aesthetic
gesture to the King���s mother, Marie de Medici. Today the
surrounding neighborhood still retains many sumptuous
ancient buildings.
HYLAND
