Castello di Montegufoni

The Castle of Montefugoni is located in the Chianti area, not far from Florence and in a perfect position to reach Pisa, Siena, Arezzo and San Gimignano. Built in the post-Carolingian period by the noble family of the Ormanni family mentioned by Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy.

In 1135, the Florentines attacked the castle for the first time, attempting to raze it to the ground. The building was left in ruins until the thirteenth century when it became property of the Acciaioli family, in the person of Gugliarello Acciaioli. His descendants grew enormously thanks to the bank they owned and towards the end of the 13th century, Montegufoni has now become a complex consisting of the central building and seven smaller buildings surrounded by walls: the so-called seven old villas of the ancestral castle of Montegufoni mentioned in an inscription of the castle.

In 1310 Niccolò Acciaioli was born here in a room of the castle, later transformed into a chapel. He later became the Great Seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples and a close friend of Boccaccio and Petrarch. In 1348, the king of Naples Luigi di Taranto, removed from his reign following the conflict with the King of Hungary, took refuge with his prime minister in Montegufoni. He used to banquet with the bishop Angelo Acciaiuoli in the Banquets hall, which overlooks the part of the castle, now called the Cortile dei Duchi.

In 1386 by Donato Acciaioli, a person who possessed the titles of Duke of Athens, Senator of Rome and Gonfalonier of the Republic of Florence, the tower was built that still dominates the castle. In 1396, Donato was banned from Florence, but his assets were saved from his cardinal brother's confiscation. The three sons of Donato resided at the Court of Athens until one of them, Agnolo di Jacopo, returned to Montegufoni with his son (the Duke Francesco) and his cousin (it is in that period that the appellative Court of the Dukes).

In 1546, another Donato restored the tower on the model of the Tower of Arnolfo of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence and built the arms room (today called the Gallery) and in this period Montegufoni became the meeting point of many Florentine artists. In 1612, Cosimo II de 'Medici was invited to Montegufoni.

Around 1650, Donato with his wife Anna Maria Altoviti restored the whole castle, giving it the appearance that it still maintains, connecting the seven buildings until then distinct. The castle continues to be one of the most celebrated haunts of Florentine high society throughout the seventeenth century and also during the eighteenth century, until the economic decline of the Acciaioli family, who sells it to the Baracchi family.

In 1909, Sir George Sitwell, an eccentric Englishman, falls in love with the splendid structure of Montegufoni and decides to buy it in the name of his son Sir Osbert Sitwell. After becoming its owner Sitwell begins to enrich and beautify the castle. In 1922 he called to decorate the castle Gino Severini, who created a series of frescoes.

During the Second World War, to prevent them from being stolen, works of art were hidden in Montegufoni such as the Adoration of the Magi by Domenico Ghirlandaio, the Primavera by Sandro Botticelli and the Madonna di Ognissanti by Giotto.

Sir Osbert Sitwell lived there until 1969 when he died and in 1972 he was finally bought by the current owners, the Posarelli family, who began to restore it to make it a luxurious vacation spot.

The Castle of Montefugoni is located in the middle of a vast estate cultivated with vineyards and olive trees, harmoniously integrating itself into nature in perfect balance between architecture and landscape. After passing the majestic facade, the central courtyard immediately transmits a sense of severe austerity, but soon passing through the halls illuminated by the large windows, in the sloping gardens, in the sequence of rooms, one lives a shining and delicate sense of life, until it flows, in the great eighteenth-century salon, in a more refined and light atmosphere.

The Castle offers a series of apartments and outbuildings within its walls, from different sizes but always very spacious, all furnished differently to meet the most varied tastes.

The hotel has an excellent restaurant where dishes from the rich Tuscan tradition are served, combining simplicity with quality and elegance.

A building with a refined charm, always the perfect setting for wedding ceremonies and events that remain etched over time: an experienced and qualified staff will be ready to offer a complete service and suggestions on every detail, from floral decorations to photographic services, from accompaniment musical to the rental of vintage cars, making an unforgettable day so special.