Castello di Montarrenti, Medieval fortress in Sovicille, Italy

Castello di Montarrenti stands on a hill above Sovicille, in the province of Siena. Of the medieval castle only two towers remain, with Gothic arched windows, arrow slits and lowered battlements under a gabled roof; a carved coat of arms sits above the door of the taller tower. Stretches of the perimeter wall and an entrance gate with a forepart survive around the hill.

Archaeological investigation dates the site's origin to the 8th century, when a small village linked to mining and metalworking stood at the foot of the hill; it later became a curtense centre. In the 10th century the settlement was burned and rebuilt behind a wooden palisade enclosing a first fortified core. Stone replaced timber from the 12th century. A 1156 bull of the bishop of Volterra is the first document naming the castle, and on 5 October 1217 the consuls of Montarrenti swore loyalty to Siena.

The castle's name appears in medieval records as Mons Arienti, Monte Arrenti, Monte Liurenti or Monte Lirrenti. A 1156 bull of the bishop of Volterra is the first document mentioning the castle. In 1217 the consuls of Montarrenti swore loyalty to the Commune of Siena.

The site is best reached from Siena by following the SS73 road and turning right after the Rosia village. The walk to the ruins passes through rural farmland with some marked paths for visitors.

The silver from the Colline Metallifere, with Montieri as its main European extraction site in the early Middle Ages, was the catalyst for the commercial fortunes of the Sienese merchants. In 1178 Cattaneo da Montarrenti was appointed by the Diocese of Volterra to administer the nearby mines for the Commune of Siena.