Castello di Montauto, Medieval castle in Impruneta, Italy

Castello di Montauto stands at 168 metres on a conical hill above the via Chiantigiana in Impruneta. Its oldest element is a 13th-century tower, still at the centre of the property and enclosed by a rustic stone-faced keep. Around it, 16th-century work turned the complex into a villa, with grottesche decorations inside and on the south loggia, a sober north side with columns and a stone-framed serliana, and a pietra serena loggia on the west.

The castle was built in 980 by the Gherardini family for defensive purposes on a conical hill above the via Chiantigiana. Between the 13th and 14th centuries it was contested by Guelph and Ghibelline factions, then by the White and Black Guelphs. Around 1550 the Florentine merchant Bastiano Ciaìni had it enlarged into a suburban villa by architect Domenico di Baccio d'Agnolo; after his financial collapse it passed to the Niccolini, who added the west loggia in pietra serena.

The castle's name comes from a contraction of "monte Acuto". The Bellucci Mascagni family, owners from 1892, planted the romantic park of cypresses and holm oaks that hides the property, and built the small chapel outside the first ring of walls, decorated inside with a fresco attributed to Giorgio Vasari's school.

Castello di Montauto stands at 168 metres on a conical hill above the via Chiantigiana, reached at via di Montauto 124 in Impruneta. The approach climbs the hill, and the grounds are enclosed by a park of cypresses and holm oaks that hides the buildings from the road.

The chapel outside the first ring of walls has a plain exterior but an interior fresco attributed to the school of Giorgio Vasari; its lunette carries a terracotta of Saint Lucia from the school of Luca della Robbia.