Volterra

Volterra is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods.

Volterra (in Etruscan Veláthri), was one of the main city-states of ancient Etruria and during the Middle Ages it was the seat of an important episcopal lordship. The village has been known for centuries for the manufacture of alabaster whose artifacts are some of the most important products of Italian craftsmanship.

This place is rich in artistic heritage that can be admired while walking through the streets of the historic center and visiting the city’s museums which include the Etruscan museum, the Pinacoteca, the Museum of Sacred Art, or the Eco-museum of Alabaster. The walk continues towards the artistic and religious heart of the city: Piazza San Giovanni with the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, important examples of local medieval architecture. Adjacent to the cathedral, the Palazzo dei Priori rises in the square which bears its own name.