Since ancient times, Montevarchi has held a strategic position in Valdarno, situated on the intersection between the roads that connect Arezzo, Florence and Siena.
At the end of the year 1000, the plain was almost deserted, the area was full of woods and the freely-flowing Arno lead to constant flooding. It was only in castles high above sea level that life could continue relatively uninterrupted. The town’s name dates back to the 11th century when the Hospice of San Michele Arcangelo stood on the Ginestra hill, built by the Benedictine Monks to offer help to pilgrims. On the nearby hill (now called the Convent of the Capuchins) stood the historic castle which is now called Montevarchi, most likely because it marked the passage between the Florentine and Arezzo areas.