Discover Montaio: Castle, Church and Landscape

Montaio combines visible traces of a long local history with a hilly landscape where olive groves alternate with small vineyards. The place is particularly interesting for you if you would like to experience cultural history together with a walk and the Tuscan landscape, rather than separately. An Etruscan-Roman settlement has been documented in Montaio; the first documentary references date from the 12th century.

History between Valdarno and Siena

The fortified village of Montaio was besieged and conquered by the Florentines in 1252. Following this conquest, the village walls were completely demolished. Montaio Castle was subsequently rebuilt and later shared the fate of the Republic of Florence. Its location had already been significant beforehand: the castle stood along a strategic connection between Valdarno and Siena. Towards the end of the 12th century, it also exercised jurisdiction over the municipality of Cavriglia. The earliest statutes of the municipality of Montaio still preserved today date from the end of the 14th century. This means that here you encounter not just a single historic building, but a place whose history extends from early settlement through fortified structures of rule to municipal organization.

San Silvestro and the Traces of the Medieval Village

Today, the Church of San Silvestro displays neoclassical architecture in a style typical of the 19th century. At the same time, it preserves older traces: sections of the medieval walls that surrounded the village are incorporated into the rear part of the present-day church. As early as 1299, San Silvestro was listed as one of the churches dependent on the Pieve di San Giovanni Battista in Cavriglia. Next to the church stood an old hospital dedicated to Saint Paul. It was mentioned as early as a pastoral visit in 1446. This combination of ecclesiastical architectural history, medieval fortification and social function makes San Silvestro a particularly meaningful reference point for the history of the area.

Castle, Rings of Walls and a Romanesque Arch

Montaio Castle is still clearly visible today. It stands at the top of a steeply sloping hill above Cavriglia. Fragments of two rings of walls can be recognized on the slope of Montaio; the former access gates to the castle can also be identified. In Montaio, a Romanesque arch carries the road. Such preserved structures make the former fortification comprehensible not only through historical data but also through concrete architectural traces. In addition, the Museo di arte sacra della Pieve di San Giovanni Battista di Cavriglia also displays objects from the churches of Montaio. Those interested in sacred art and the history of small Tuscan towns can therefore combine Montaio with a museum visit in Cavriglia, without equating the significance of the individual places.

Circular Walk and Landscape

The CAI circular trail Anello Cavriglia–Montaio–Grimoli–Parco Fotovoltaico passes through Montaio. The circular walk is approximately 11.5 kilometers long and easy to walk. On the slopes of Montaio-Grimoli, olive groves alternate with small vineyards. The landscape complements the cultural and historical focus with a typically rural Tuscan motif, without requiring any additional characteristics of the route. For your further research into Tuscany, you can include [Meleto](Meleto), [Castelnuovo dei Sabbioni](Castelnuovo dei Sabbioni) and [Montegonzi](Montegonzi) in your plans.

For the overarching travel overview: Cavriglia.