Montegrossi

The only sunny day we had! The castle on the top of the Chianti Hills is called Montegrossi ("big mountain"!). It's 700 meters high and overlooks the pass and road connecting Chianti and the Upper Arno Valley. It was first recorded in 1007, was fought over by the Sienese and the Florentines, Emperor Barbarossa, and the Aragonese, until finally being destroyed by the army of Charles V in 1530. Since then, its abandoned ruins have been visible for many miles around.