Abbey of Spineto

Founded in 1085 by the widow of Count Manenti of Sarteano, in 1112 it was handed over to the Vallombrosian monks of Coltibuono before becoming a free municipality in the 14th century.
During the Middle Ages, it was an important religious centre and welcomed travellers who were travelling along the nearby Via Francigena towards Rome. It began to decline at the end of the 15th century. In 1627, it was taken over by the Cistercian monks who remained there until 1784, the year of its deliberate suppression by the Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany. 
In recent years, the buildings of the abbey complex have undergone meticulous restoration and are now used for important cultural meeting and religious ceremonies.