Along the old Via Aretina that ran between Florence and Arezzo, in the vicinity of an ancient spring, a little spedale, a hospice where travellers and pilgrims could rest on their journey, was built in the early 13th century at the expense of its benefactor, Dioticidiede di Bonaguida del Dado. It is the Spedale di Santa Maria a Fonteviva, named for the nearby spring, or Bigallo, a term whose origin is unknown. Managed by the Florentine Compagnia Maggiore del Bigallo starting from 1245, in the late 15th century the hospice became a cloistered convent. The structure was radically remodelled and surrounded by high walls, while its hospitality function was almost entirely abandoned. The Spedale having been officially closed in 1754, and the convent supressed under the Napoleonic government (1808), the building was converted into a civic residential structure, bought by the Municipality in 1920. It was gradually abandoned until 1978, when some work was done on it, but its first real restoration began in 2000. The great hall/refectory with its coffered ceilings, the dormitory with traditional wooden box beds and the monumental kitchen have been restored to their former splendour. Converted into a hostel, the building has regained its original purpose. From its windows and terrace, the Spedale offers a splendid view over the Tuscan landscape as far as Florence.