Castello di Albola

Castello di Albola stands in the wooded hills of the Radda territory. A medieval fortified core, a Renaissance residence and the surrounding vineyards connect the castle with the long history of landed estates in the Chianti.

Why it matters

The site's history brings together ecclesiastical landholding, noble family ownership and agricultural development. Its later residential architecture preserves elements of the earlier fortified complex rather than replacing every trace of it.

What to notice

The cassero is the principal defensive landmark above the woodland. The Renaissance villa incorporated two substantial towers into its structure. Rock-cut cellars add another distinctive feature, reflecting the estate's association with wine production.

Context and history

A deed of 1010 records a lease of land belonging to the church of Milan. Later ownership involved the lords of Monterinaldi and the Acciaiuoli, who purchased the Casa Vecchia in 1515 and developed the residence. The Samminiati and Pazzi followed in the ownership history. Prince Giovanni Ginori Conti acquired the estate in 1940, and the Zonin family in 1979. These successive phases linked the castle and residence with the cultivation of the surrounding land.