Probably of Etruscan origin, it certainly dates back to at least the 10th century. In the year 929 Ugo, King of Italy, gave the site, then called Monte della Torre, to Adelardo III, Bishop of Volterra.

After this it passed to the Marquis Ugo of Tuscany, who later assigned it to the Abbey of San Michele in Poggibonsi.
During the middle ages it belonged to a very important family from San Gimignano, following which it was probably used as a Templar site.

In the early 15th century, Monti became an lavish villa belonging to the noble Cortesi family and a centre for humanistic studies, named Castrum Cortesianum.

Here the prelate Paolo Cortesi, secretary to Pope Giulio II, collected together many scholars of the time and also wrote his notable work ‘De Cardinalatu’ which he dedicated to the pope. Only five copies of this work, printed by the famous copperplate engraver, Simone Nardi, called ‘The Red’, remain in the world.

At the end of 1700 there still remained traces of the great castle walls, with gates and keeps, and the rudiments of an underground road which united Monti with San Gimignano.
The last gate in stone was pulled down at the beginning of 20th century and today Monti is a charming rural hamlet, which keeps alive the architectural imprints of the past.

Situated on a hilltop commanding a 360° panorama of the surrounding countryside and views of the characteristic Torri di San Gimignano, the property has been painstakingly restored and is today a splendid villa with over 5000 square feet of luxuriously appointed areas.

The villa is finished in Tuscan stone, decorated with cornices, hanging window baskets and climbing plants which adorn the property.

The residence looks onto beautifully terraced gardens with a gazebo and is immersed in an estate of almost 30 acres featuring a farm with its own production of extra virgin oil, purest San Gimignano Saffron, cereals and aromatic herbs.