History
The first friary was founded in
1595 in an area close to the location of the current prison.
The Capuchin fathers inhabited it until
1714
– the year in which
Philip V forced the friars to leave, since the friary's location constituted a grave danger for Alghero's city walls.
Thus, in 1719, the friary was demolished, before being promptly rebuilt along the coast in
1722.
The architect responsible was Piedmont-born Antonio Felice De Vincenti, and his input is clear
in the materials deployed, particularly in the blocks of limestone used for the walls, but also
in the characteristic Catalan-style rounded-arch vaults that today give the
Maò de Plà Restaurant its name.
Between 1855 and 1866, the Italian State implemented a policy of confiscating properties belonging to the Church that could be sold off in order to rebalance the books.
It was during this period that the building's use was changed from religion to industry: in 1902, the Sella & Mosca winery purchased the former friary from the Municipality of Alghero for 3,500 lire. This decision was taken by the winery with a view to exploiting the site's strategic position: the new railway linking Alghero to Sassari passed directly in front of the building.
As the headquarters of the Sella & Mosca winery for 70 years, the building underwent substantial modifications.
The 1950s saw the addition of elements in the so-called "neoliberty" style and references
to the religious architecture of Alghero.
In 1961, the winery's days of being a family-run concern came to an end as it was acquired by a group of Lombardy-based shareholders.
Gradually, the new management decided to transfer the winery itself to a site in the vicinity
of the vineyards.
The change was motivated mostly by financial considerations: road transport became more economical than rail in the 1960s, and the market at the time was becoming more dynamic, requiring a more streamlined, functional facility at the source.
In 1974, the former friary was acquired by the Ferroni family.
In 2004, the family commissioned large-scale renovation works, under the supervision of architect Luciano Bebbere, which would eventually lead to the creation of Quarté Sayàl.
The Ferroni family have been in business since way back in the 1940s, when Arnaldo – grandfather of the current generation – set himself up in the home furnishings industry. In 1965, his sons Roberto and Aurelio continued the family's entrepreneurial tradition by investing in the tourism industry.
Today, the two brothers are supported by the youngsters Arnaldo, Luciano, Daniele and Mauro,
all of whom contributed to the project that resulted in the Quarté Sayàl development.