The ruins of the ancient monastery of S.Michele
alla Verruca rises at the top of the Mount Verruca, a few hundred
meters before the rocky spur where the
Verruca
Fortress stands.
The remains today still visible belonged to the Benedictine monastic
complex founded by the Marquise Ugo di Tuscia at the end of the
10th century on the place where the church of S.Angelo (8th century)
rose. In the 12th century the abbey was given to the Camaldolesi,
then to the Cistercians and to the Augustinians. It was abandoned
in the 15th century due to the great damages suffered during the
fights between the Pisans and Florentine army to gain the Verruca
Fortress. During the Middle Age around the monastic complex developed
a village that was still visible at the end of the 19th century.
Today we can see only the fundaments of the church, part of the
stone apse and rest of other buildings, the whole site is object
of an archeological excavation.