On Saturday, Adam and I took part in a first-time-ever public tour of the Masonic Temple located at 415 Congress St. The front half of the building was sold years ago to finance upkeep, while the back of the building (which faces Portland High School's Freshmen Alley) is still owned by three Portland lodges, a few regional orders and the Masonic Grand Lodge of Maine, all of which belong to the international fraternal organization known as the Freemasons. This back half of the building, which is considered one of the state's most endangered properties by Maine Preservation, is where we went for the free tour.

Because the blockbuster film and the best-selling book "The Da Vinci Code" have popularized the legends surrounding this generally secretive society (whose history stretches back to at least the 16th century and includes many prominent figures), you're likely wondering why the Portland temple opened its doors to the public. The reason is rising costs. As a result, the building is on the market, listed at $5.25 million. To drum up interest in the property, the brothers decided to invite the curious to have a look.

During our tour, Rob Lind (who chairs the governing body that operates the building), mentioned that some members of the organization have expressed an interest in renting parts of the space to theater groups or arts organizations rather than selling the whole property outright. This would bring in new revenue and allow the Masons to maintain the building's historic use, but I can imagine other members may object to this idea because it lessens the exclusive, clubby feel of this exquisite architectural gem.

We started our tour downstairs, where the hallway has an arched ceiling, the original decorative painting and the finest quality millwork. Decorative wall painting is a delightful feature throughout the building. We learned on the tour that a few of the walls have been cleaned only once since the building was completed in 1911, but even without upkeep the paint is in relatively good condition.

This is called the Scottish Rite Reading Room. I didn't see many books, but I did see two lovely pool tables and a round table that would be perfect for poker.

Here's a rather fuzzy look at the impressive Corinthian Hall and its beautiful stained glass windows (you can see a better image here). The space is used for the elaborate (and secretive) rituals the Masons perform. This room also has thrones and a massive pipe organ.

We ran into our friend Adam while on the tour. Here are the two Adams looking Masonic in Corinthian Hall.

Boody Hall is the place where the Masons gather to conduct business, such as secret balloting on whether or not to accept candidates for membership. Candidates must be 18+, have high moral character and believe in God. Lind said traditionally many members have been military men, police officers or farmers. There are three sets of thrones in this room, and the organization's leadership sits in them according to rank. The central pedestal has green velvet cushions for kneeling and a Bible at the center.

Here I am standing in front of the highest throne. Note the G on the wall above me. When asked about it, Lind said it stood for God and geometry, "among other things." Could "other things" include the elusive grail?

In order for candidates to move through the various degrees of Freemasonry (there are 32 in all), the lodges perform elaborate theatrical productions. Each performance is crafted to impart a moral lesson, and each requires its own closet for costume and prop storage. Lind pulled out this rack of clothes to demonstrate the storage capacity.

These are the costumes from the performance Masons refer to informally as "George Washington." The room also houses an assortment of wigs and a large station for applying stage makeup.

It's easy to see how the massive Scottish Rite Auditorium with seating for more than 700 and two pipe organs could be used by other performing arts groups.

The walls of the building are covered in murals, portraits, prints, plaques and Knights Templar imagery. This plaque commemorates President George Washington's Masonic membership, one of many famous Masons.

The tour was absolutely fascinating and certainly deepened my understanding of Freemasonry. I'm hopeful that somehow this magnificent building seeped in mystery and myth can be preserved in its present state. Maybe the local lodges can start charging a fee and make the tours a regular thing? I'm sure there are many people who would fork over a few bucks for the chance to check out this unique property filled with grandeur and lore. I'd even pay to see it again.