Volterra - a hard Etruscan city famous for alabaster

 

Entering Volterra from the top of its hill, with the tower of the Palazzo dei Priori, and chunks of alabaster in the square.

Monday                                                                                          October 11, 2021

Volterra is a hard town, like Florence.  Square and rough, grey and brown, no pretty rounded, pink marble edges nor many Romanesque arches.  But it's one of my favorite places to visit in Tuscany.

It's an Etruscan town - settled around the 8th century BC.  It was known in Etruscan times as Velathri and was one of the twelve cities of the Etruscan League.  It came under the influence of Rome at the end of the 3rd century BC and was called Volaterrae by the Romans.  It still has the ruins of a Roman theatre.  Later, it became part of the Republic of Florence and was under the control of the Medici.

It's location is breathtaking - high above the Val di Cecina.  On a clear day, you can see the Tyrrhenian Sea and the island of Corsica.  The city is surrounded by impressive walls - you can take a walk along the outer perimeter.

Volterra's Basilica and it's associated bell tower

The rolling hills of the Val di Cecina, and the sea on the horizon, just to the left of the cypress tree top.

Views from Volterra's city walls

The Piazza dei Priori

The Piazza dei Priori is the heart of the city of Volterra.  It's surrounded by municipal buildings, including the Palazzo dei Priori - the oldest town hall in Tuscany - and the Palazzo Pretorio and the Bishop's Palace.  You can tour the Palazzo dei Priori, and we did.  We were pleased to find two art exhibitions in the Palazzo, unadvertised.

The Palazzo Pretorio and the Bishop's Palace - a very medieval square

This tower is called the Torre del Porcellino  - named after the little piggy in the statue on top.

The Palazzo dei Priori - oldest town hall in Tuscany

The Council Chamber in the Palazzo dei Priori

The Governing Room, where the Magistrates met on matters of business

Facade of the Palazzo dei Priori and guarding lion

Walking in Volterra is either uphill or downhill, and sometimes quite steep.

The Rocca Medicea (Fortress), built on the highest part of the city in 1343, now houses a regional prison.

The city park, near the fortress

Etruscan archeological site

Beautiful streets for wandering

Via Franceschini, with a view of the Duomo's bell tower