"My father-in-law bought the house in 1963 from an insurance company who had got it because the previous owner could not pay her bills. Although it has been in private hands since the 17th century, it was built by monks in 1185," said Gaetano Bracconeri, the owner of Dimora di San Galgano. Photo: Chesterton Humberts  "It was used by General Clark during the war and was hit by two shells from the retreating Germans. The insurance company did restore the walls, but it was a little neglected when he bought it," said Mr. Bracconeri. Photo: Chesterton Humberts  "My father-in-law worked with the superintendent of fine art in Florence to make sure the house was restored properly," said Mr. Bracconeri. "We even demolished a cottage we owned to get the right bricks of the same age and type as the monastery." Photo: Chesterton Humberts  The main house has three floors and includes two drawing rooms, a dining room, a kitchen and six bedrooms. There is also an annex with a bedroom, living room and kitchenette. The total internal area of the property is more than 3,200 square feet. Photo: Chesterton Humberts  The house is surrounded by a garden, with a pond supplying water for an acre of olive groves. There are also 1.5 acres of vineyards and a further six acres of woods. Photo: Chesterton Humberts  The Dimora di San Galgano is on the top of a hill about 20 miles west of Siena, in a protected area in the Val di Merse. Photo: Chesterton Humberts  The property is listed with Great Estates and Chesterton Humberts International at €3.5 million ($4.7 million). Photo: Chesterton Humberts
This six-bedroom restored farmhouse with a one-bedroom annex and nine acres of land was originally a Cistercian monastery on the historic pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome.