The origins of Volterra belong to prehistory.
The first Italic inhabitants were defeated by a more enterprising people,
the Etruscan who settled on the high hill and in the Volterran territory towards the end of the VIII century B.C.,
creating one the most powerful states in their confederation. After the Etruscans came the Romans, then,
with the following of the centuries, its destiny is linked
to the cities of Florence, Lucca, Pisa. |
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| Valuable to see is also the “Porta dell’Arco”,
of the IV century B.C., the only Etruscan gate conserved and integrated in the ancient city walls.
Until some years ago the today’s medieval circuit of walls enclosed almost all the town which did not have
a great urban expansion during the centuries, remaining almost untouched with its four medieval villages,
linked to the town through steep streets. They are the villages of S. Alessandro, S. Lazzaro, S. Stefano and S. Giusto,
the farthest one.
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Volterra keeps the characteristic medieval aspect still today,
where you can enjoy the atmosphere of an ancient village,
thanks to the relative isolation which has limited the industrial
and commercial development,
hindering the building slaughter which often follows the economic development.
Modern Volterra is surrounded by the walls of ‘200 almost completely,
and it is overlooked by the cyclopean Fortress
used for house of punishment. “Piazza dei Priori” is the heart
of the town,
where you find illustrious buildings such as the Episcopal palace,
the praetorian palace and the prior palace;
the last one dates from 1200 and hosts masterpieces of Luca Signorelli,
Domenico Ghirlandaio and other important artists. |
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The cathedral,
whose front is attributed to Nicola Pisano, offers several paintings of Tuscan artists,
a Madonna by Jacopo della Quercia, a marble Tabernacle by Mino da Fiesole,
a fresco by Gozzoli and a pulpit of 1200. |
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Valuable to visit is also the Roman theatre with two orders of
steps and several Corinthian capital columns and the Guarnacci Etruscan museum,
one of the most complete in Italy. |
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