 | Volterra Things To Do | Tips 81 - 90 of 90 |  |
Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (90) There are a number of streets and alleys that eventually take you from the front to the back of the city up at the top of the hill. The width is only about 3-4 blocks, so you will not get lost easily.
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Throughout the city are small private shops selling alabaster. It all is very beautiful and a great variety of items. Volterra is the city of stone. Alabaster is calcium carbonate or hydrated calcium sulphate, which is the chalky look. The word is derived from Egypt and named after a town called Alabastron that made vases. The whole city is made of stone, and alabaster was first carved by Etruscans for urns and vases. The trade died out, but revived in late 1600's, so near 1800's there were 60 certified tradesmen in the town. Now there are less, maybe around 10-12 that perform the work for a living, and only 2-3 are open for viewing by the public. They all do sell their wares and invite you to take one home.
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Incrociata dei Buonparenti is a crossroads among these streets: Roma, Buonparenti and Ricciarelli. There you can some fantastic examples of case-torri (houses towers) among which the most beautiful are the Case Torre Buonparenti. They were built in the 13th century and connected with a crossover. Leave a Comment Address: Incrociata dei Buonparenti
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Museo Etrusco Guarnacci is a must during your visit of Volterra. It was founded in 1877 and it is one of the most important Etruscan collections of Italy. In the rooms you can see beautiful examples of funeral urns among which you must see the wonderful Urna degli Sposi (Grave of the Bridegrooms) and the sarcophagus from the ipogeo of the Flaves; frescos coming from necropolis next to Volterra; beautiful objects among which the marmoreal head called Lorenzini and the beautiful bronze called Ombra della Sera (Shade of the Evening). Leave a Comment Address: Via Don Minzoni
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In front of the fortress there is the nice park Enrico Fermi where you can relax. On the north side of the park you can see the Etruscan Acropolis of the town. There you can see some cisterns and two ruins of temples: one has got a rectangular shape and was built in the second century B.C., instead the second one was a Tuscanian temple built in the third century B.C. Leave a Comment Address: Parco Enrico Fermi
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CAlled Fortessa Medicea. There are two different periods of this fort being built, and called the old and new Rocca. It is connected by a curtain of corbels and the four corner towers are round. The old was built in 1342 by the Duke of Athens. The new add-on was 1472 by Lorenzo the Magnificent. There is one main central tower in the middle of the fortress. A decorative, but defensive arch form around the top pinnacle keeps the attackers from climbing the top. No admittance because it really is a prison now that houses guess who.
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Porta dell'Arco Etrusco (Etruscan Arch) is one of the symbol of the town of Volterra. It made part of the surrounded walls of the fourth century B.C. The external stipidis are original, while the archivolt in full center (6 meters tall) was referred by the Romans and they put there three heads (protecting divinity of the entry). The piedrittis of the interior arc and the two interior walls are etruscan and they were made of enormous rocks of limestone of tufo. Leave a Comment Address: Via Matteotti
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The Cathedral has got a latin cross shape with three naves with columns dressed of plaster simulating pink granite. The walls are painted to white and black lines. The ceiling is to chests with busts of saints work made by Francesco Capriani. Inside the cathedral you can see some wonderful works: on the right transept you can see the Cappella Serguidi with plasters made by Ricciarelli; on the second chapel on the right of the main altar you can see the Deposition (1228); in the first chapel there is the Arca di S.Ottaviano (St.Ottaviano's arch) made by Raffaele Cioli in 1522. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza Duomo
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Most of the buildings are of modest era, and not as much wealth was prevalent in the community. The structures are mostly form 12th-13th century, and more of the walls were added then. The original walls were built in the 4th century BC by Etruscans. They are 4 miles around the city and a well defended fortress due to the peak on top of a hill at 1770 feet. The cathedral was consecrated in 1120 and added twice in size through to 1576.
The Etruscans first used this point as a high defense and the city was built in 7-th century BC. The population at one time was twice what it is now at 20,000. The main Piazza dei Priori has the Pallazzo Priori, the oldest town hall in Italy built from 1208-54, and a number of surrounding buildings. It is one of the best preserved squares around. At the top of the street and climbing toward the Etruscan fortress once stood, and is now the Praco Archiological and prison. At the end is the original entrance to the town and an Etruscan gate fro the first period.
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on August 3, 2008
on August 4, 2008
on September 13, 2005
