The nucleus of the village of Ariis was originally made up of a castle with a defense function, while since 1267 there has been a documented presence of a castle with a fortified village.
The Savorgnan nobles from Friuli became owners of the castle in 1339: traces of the fourteenth-century fortress are still distinguishable in the large walls present on the first two levels of the manor house towards the river and on the east side of the warehouses.
At the time of the Savorgnans, the complex was one of the most important economic centers in the area: in fact, the Savorgnans exercised the right to toll the timber that crossed the Stella river in the territory and enjoyed a "muda", i.e. a tax on the flocks of sheep passing through the area.
The transformation from fortress to villa probably took place in the 17th century, after the construction of the Palmanova fortress and the consequent loss of the strategic-defensive value of the Ariis castle.