
On the top of a hill where the "Evola" or "Egola" and "Carfalo" streams flow, the village of Tonda can be reached from Montaione going along the road leading to San Vivaldo, and turning right about a kilometer before San Vivaldo.
Alternatively, if you want to reach Tonda, you can follow the road from Montaione to San Miniato turning left at the bridge over the Egola stream, crossing the hamlet of Alberi, climbing the hills and turning left at the junction with the Sughera.
The name Tonda probably comes from the shape of the hill on which it is located, which is in fact round, or may refer to a place marked with circular stones or plants indicating a sacred area.
The area was probably inhabited since the Etruscans, but the first news abot Tonda and its castle dates back to 1212 when the ottoman Emperor Ottone IV assigned the feud with the castle, the nearby houses and all its inhabitants to two Pisan noblemen.
Purchased in 1267 by the municipality of San Miniato, it was subdued to Florence in 1370. The Tonda Castle was characterized by surrounding walls with a church, a tower, a rainwater cistern and the communal palace.
Assigned to the municipality of Montaione in 1379, Tonda included a hospital and a podesteria (the house of the authority).
In 1551 in Tonda there were 290 inhabitants, while in 1839 there were 353. More recent, the Tonda area underwent Montaione, which is still a fraction of Piaggia, Castellare, Orzale and Collelungo.
It remained uninhabited after the World War II, as many farmers left the campaigns to move to larger countries or cities to work in the emerging industry,
The village has been valued with a clever restoration and it is now used as tourist residences as well as many other homes in the area.