Villa Montalvo, Renaissance villa in Campi Bisenzio, Italy

Villa Montalvo stands at the edge of Campi Bisenzio where the Marina torrent meets the Bisenzio, covering about 3,000 square metres. Its two bodies, the older core and the south wing added by the Del Sodo family, were joined into one block by Ottaviano de' Medici in 1534, with a columned portico in the inner courtyard and a first-floor loggia running through the building. A stone well with a lion statue sits in the courtyard.

The first written record, a 1305 document, mentions a fortified house on land held by the Tornaquinci since the mid-13th century; they likely walled it and added a tower as a refuge during Guelph–Ghibelline clashes. After the Ghibelline defeat the fortifications were demolished and the tower truncated. The Del Sodo family bought it around 1400 and finished enlarging it with a south wing and small chapel in 1427; the Spinelli, Florentine merchants, acquired it in 1460.

The villa now houses a municipal library and the Historical Archives of Campi Bisenzio, where you can explore documents and local collections. It serves as a gathering place for exhibitions and events that bring the region's past to life for visitors.

The site is accessible by public transportation from Florence and offers guided tours and cultural activities. It helps to check opening times and events in advance, as availability varies depending on the season.

A later resident of the villa was someone who eventually became Pope Leo XI, creating an unexpected link to Vatican history. This connection makes the site of historical interest beyond the local level.