Castello di Oliveto, 15th century fortified villa in Castelfiorentino, Italy.
Castello di Oliveto is a 15th century fortified villa near Castelfiorentino with four tall crenellated corner towers and red brick walls. The structure sits on a hilltop above the Pescaiola stream valley and combines defensive towers with a residential complex arranged around a central courtyard.
The castle was built in 1424 by the Pucci family, a Florentine merchant household, and initially served as a fortified residence. It changed hands in 1850 through the marriage of Paolina Pucci to the Guicciardini family.
The place merges farming and history: visitors can see the working wine cellars and storage rooms still used for winemaking as they have been for centuries. Daily work on the estate shows how the castle remains a living property, not simply a historical monument.
The property welcomes visitors for weddings, cooking classes, wine tastings, and farm stays, offering different ways to experience the place. Located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Florence, it is easily reached by car and accommodates various activities on-site.
An underground passage connects the courtyard well to the valley below and was originally designed as a secret escape route during medieval conflicts. This hidden passage lets visitors see the practical security measures residents needed back then.
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