The origin of the Montemignaio castle is linked to the passage through the area of the ancient Roman road which, from Florence ... led to Arezzo. The ancient route was still widely used during the Middle Ages and this generated the development of the Castle, located in a dominant position, at the top of a buttress overlooking the Fiana torrent valley.

The first written document proving the existence of the settlement dates back to 1103, it is a papal bull in which the authority over the Pieve di Montemignaio was confirmed to the Bishop of Fiesole. Already in the following years and throughout the 12th century the area was remembered among the dominions of the Guidi counts...

It was the Guidi family who built the castle on site, also known as 'Castel Leone' or simply 'Castiglione', which remained in their possession until the revolt of Castel S. Niccolò with whose inhabitants the Montemignanesi made common cause against the abuses of the last descendant of the feudal family, Count Galeoto. In 1440 the same inhabitants submitted to the Municipality of Florence and were aggregated to the Podesteria of the Montagna Fiorentina.

The remains of the castle walls still partially surround the town. To the right of the main access door the mighty tower still stands out, which also served as a bell tower, to the left a second tower, probably originally the twin of the other, is today significantly reduced in height. The two towers are joined by a mighty curtain wall in which opens the beautiful round arched door that leads into the heart of the castle. Once through the entrance on the left, the majestic remains of the palace rise, first the residence of the counts and then of the Florentine Podestà, and of the square-shaped keep. In the curtain walls you can still see the walled shape of what was once the door that led into the courtyard of the Palagio. Today, to access the splendid courtyard, with a beautiful well in the centre, you need to go around the outside of the walls from the right of the main door. The original small church of the castle still stands immediately behind the bulk of the keep. The whole, rather well maintained, is one of the best examples of a fortified medieval Tuscan mountain village.

(Source: castellitoscani.com/castel-leone-montemignaio )

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AJ 🤸

April 4, 2025

Castello dei Conti Guidi, beautiful stone village. Wonderful view.

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Elevation 740 m

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Location: Montemignaio, Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy

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