Casa del Monaco

Description from the manager

History of the Castle. Already in 1056 the castle of Casa del Monaco, located on top of a hill dominating the valley of the river Pesa, was an important fortified settlement of the Chianti area. It had its own independent government, formed by a ‘rettore’, elected by the inhabitants, and two officers in charge of guarding the gateways of the walls once surrounding the castle. In 1267 the ‘signore’ of the castle was Ruggero Buondelmonti, a member of a very powerful Florentine family, owner of four castles in the Pesa valley. Around the mid Quattrocento, the buildings became the property of the Vallombrosian monks of the nearby abbey... of Passignano. The main room of the ‘casa da signore’ became their refectory and was decorated with stone elements in Renaissance style. The monks also commissioned the frescoes of the small church of the castle from Filippo d’Antonio Filippelli, a Vallombrosian monk who worked as a painter in several villages of the Chianti. A crenellated wall encloses the heart of the castle, the courtyard, dominated by the façade of the main building, former home of the ‘signore’ and the small Romanesque church in local ‘alberese’ stone.

The house. Entering the former ‘casa da signore’, you will be in the large room that later became the refectory of the Vallombrosian monks. The room is now the dining room, with a corner where you can relax indoor. The house has two large bedrooms with windows opening on an astonishing view of the Pesa valley. Each one has its private bathroom, decorated with glazed terracotta tiles hand made in Chianti. In one of the rooms it has been possible to reuse the small ‘ritirata’ as a modern restroom with its own Chianti view through a tiny pietra serena window. The furniture recalls the elegant simplicity of historical homes with beds in wrought iron or carved out wood, antique wardrobes and chests of drawers. The kitchen has maintained its original location, and shows ancient marble slabs combined with modern elements. The rooms are paved with the original terracotta floor and the walls have been whitewashed with lime, the traditional technique used in medieval houses.The garden, located on the side of the house, is enclosed by an ancient wall, like a medieval ‘hortus conclusus’. A paved space with wrought iron chairs and table forms a small open air dining room. The wide meadow is dotted with flowers and lemon plants in large terracotta vases hand made in Impruneta. From here, or from the lower level of the garden you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the Chianti, from Panzano up to Radda and the olive groves and vineyards on the hills around the castle. In the lower part of the garden a new above ground pool will be ready in Summer 2012.Read more

Additional Location Information

Location Type Away from it all, Rural, Village

Rental fees

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