Montecchio Vesponi castle is one of the most evocative fortalice of the entire Tuscany. It was built on a hill at the confluence of the Val di Chio and the Valdichiana, in a strategic position overooking the ancient route between Arezzo and Cortona and the entire valley.
Its unmistakable silhouette was immortalised in the backgrounds of some of Beato Angelico’s paintings, with an imposing crenellated wall, 263 metres long and with nine watchtowers that still stands today.
The toponym "Monticulus" refers to the modest height of the hill on which the castle stands, while the epithet “Vesponi” could come from the Arezzo noble family of the Guasconi, who owned it in the 11th century. The fortified settlement was first mentioned in 1014, when it was ceded by the Abbey of Farneta to the Marquises of Monte Santa Maria, the first owners of the Cassero in nearby Castiglioni. The castle later became the subject of fierce disputes between Arezzo and Florence, both of which sought to consolidate their influence over the territory.The landscape, whose main character is Montecchio castle, is being considered for inclusion in the UNESCO list.
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