Montefoscoli is one of the hamlets of Palaia, from which it is about 4 km away.
From the Griffi family to the Vaccà Berlinghieri family
Once an ancient and powerful castle donated by Countess Matilde to the Pisan Griffi family in 1102, it was of considerable strategic importance as it straddled the valley that opened up to Volterra, making it visible for a long stretch. After passing under the rule of Pisa and Florence, in the 18th century it was purchased by the Vaccà Berlinghieri family to make it the seat of their country farm.
Between Temple, Churches and Museum
The Vaccà Berlinghieri family left a deep mark on the history of the village, building both the house and the Temple of Minerva Medica (1832), in a wood in the Torricchio locality, the latter at the behest of Andrea, who wished to dedicate it to his father Francesco, an illustrious physician at the University of Pisa.
In the village is the church dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, with a Romanesque façade and bell tower with brick walls, probably from the same period as the castle. Inside are two valuable 16th-century wooden statues depicting the Archangel Gabriel and the Santissima Annunziata.
In Montefoscoli, visit the Museum of Peasant Civilisation, inaugurated in 1996 and extended in 2005 with the Vacca Berlinghieri family home: the museum is a plunge into the past, in the footsteps of the peasants and their traditions, rediscovering the customs and traditions of the past.
Worth knowing: The surrounding area, characterised by a hilly landscape, is criss-crossed by a dense network of paths and dirt roads that allow for easy itineraries on foot. The route known as 'La Palaiata' has as its fundamental stop precisely Montefoscoli and continues for two days, touching on the main historical and cultural realities of the municipal territory.