Santarella Tyringham Gingerbread House

Specialties

Santarella, affectionately known as the Tyringham Gingerbread House, is a truly unique and beautiful setting, a magical place where you can make your dreams come true. Whether for weddings, family events, meetings, retreats or the perfect vacation getaway in the Berkshires, our grounds and facilities afford endless opportunities for you to create a one-​of-​a-​kind event and long-​lasting memories.

From the stained-​glass windows and rolling roof of the Gingerbread house to the lily pond and winding stream in our gardens, there is a enchanting, fairy-​tale feeling which will transform any occasion into something extraordinary. Our charming 4-​Bedroom Colonial-​era home is a great place for you and your family or friends to stay while you are in the Berkshires. The ‘Silo Studio’ Cottage is ideal for a romantic weekend getaway for two and the ‘Grand Silo Tower Suite, unique with it’s third story tower bedroom loft and gallery game room can accommodate 4 guests with convertible bed in the living/​game room.

History

Established in 2004.

The history of Santarella dates back to 1739, when the town of Tyringham, Massachusetts was settled. Shortly after, the colonial home was built on the site. Its most famous resident was Sir Henry Hudson Kitson, the English sculptor who is known for the Lexington Minuteman and Plymouth Rock Maiden statues in Massachusetts, as well as a number of Civil War bas-​reliefs and sculptures in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Kitson met and eventually married Marie Hobron, daughter of Benjamin Hobron and a well-​liked woman in Tyringham. Around 1920, Kitson began his work transforming the barn on the property into a sculpting studio where he could work. It was this project which eventually became Kitson’s primary focus for the last 25 years of his life, and which consumed the remains of his earnings until he died a penniless man in 1947. He was knighted for his work in Romania, and remains an important figure in American sculpting.

The most striking feature of Kitson’s studio is its 80-​ton, asphault shi

Meet the Business Owner

Dennis and Denise B.

Business Owner

We purchased the property as an historic preservation project. Over the past 12 years, Santarella has evolved into a wedding and special event venue and a place where people can rent our on-​site accommodations to come and ‘get away from it all’.