29 August 2010

Montalto origin is uncertain: it probably stands on the site of an ancient Etruscan settlement. The original castle centre has been built by Berardenghi family, descendent of Winigis who was a Charles the Great vassal. Since IX century there was a castle, even if it has been firstly documented in 1004. It was a frontier rampart between Sienese and Florentine territories and it has always been faithful to Siena during the century-old contest. Montalto has been destroyed and re-built more than once: Montalto Battle in 1208 caused great damages. Berardenghi family owned the castle until XV century, when its strategic relevance was reduced. In this century Montalto has been included in Sienese Republic possessions and in 1456 it has been given to Giovanni Palmieri, whose family kept control of the place until 1572. Then it has been subdued to Florentine Government. Military Hall frescos date back up to 1500. Its current aspect is due to Antonio Palmieri who re-built it at the end of XIX century.

The chapel of San Liberato, even though small, is defi ned by some as “the Sistine Chapel of Chianti”, it is dated back to around half of the sixteenth century constructed for the noble family Cinughi dei Pazzi, whose coat of arms hangs on the façade and who owned vast amounts of land in this area. It is a modest construction with a rectangular layout and a bell shaped roof that demonstrates particular structural attention. The interior presents a vast alfresco on the vault and on the walls of the presbytery created by the artist Arcangelo Salimbeni from Siena in 1573. In the vault there is a representation of the Ascension to the sky whilst panels that run along the underneath strip and continue onto the four walls and underneath the arch represent episodes of the life and passions of Christ, separated by Latin motto’s.

Castell’in Villa is a farmhouses complex, dominated by the three floor medieval rectangular plan tower. Not far from the village there was a little church, mentioned in 1176. In late XIII and early XIV centuries tithe lists, this church is mentioned as S. Cristoforo parsonage. Since the half of XIII century Castell’in Villa appears as Siena’s surrounding countryside and in XIV century it results among Berardenga vicarage communities. In 1825 the tower is mentioned as “palace”. In the neighbourhood of the building there is the Virgin Mary Chapel, consecrated in 1801.