Volterra Things to Do

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Palazzo dei Priori, built between 1208 and 1254, is the oldest civic hall in whole Tuscany. The striking facade has been remofelled several times and in 1472 the gallery and balcony overlooking the square were demolished and the two doors on the right were walled up. The palace was the official residence of the Fiorentine governors of Volterra, and it was returned to the city in 1513 by the Midici. On the outside wall the heraldic shields in honour of the Fiorentine governors still can be seen. The building is in the original Romanesque style, except for the mullioned windows remodelled according to the Fiorentine style.

The visit of the museum begins with the early Iron Age IX-VIII centuries B.C.. In Room I burial goods from the necropolis of the Badia and the Guerrucia excavated in 1892/1898. In Room I bis treasures from a Warriors Tomb have recently been added to the collection after an accidental find in 1996 of a rare exquisitely manufactured bronze crested helmet , a laminated bronze flask and items pertaining to a warrior.
It's a wonderful story where they decided to put a lift in for handicapped people and started digging. Guess what was under the museum! Today some of the diggings are clearly visible beneath a glass floor and, no, they still don't have a lift!

Possibly one of the most famous works of art from the Etruscans, this amazing statue is to be found in the Volterra Museum (see my page on it elsewhere). It is thought the idea was hit upon when someone was looking at a late afternoon shadow of someone and copied the effect though with the head still in normal proportions.
You are fortunate to be viewing this. Previously you would have had to know a certain farmer and, ideally, been at his place on a winter's night. The reason for this is that it was unearthed by a plough in 1879 and he subsequently used it as a poker for the fire!
It is believed to date back to the 3rd century BC and its name, meaning "shadow of the evening" was bestowed by the poet Gabrielle d'Annunzio.
You have to blow up the picture to see it all.

While strolling around the wonderful historical (archaeological diggings are in progress) hilltop park you can't hardly help but notice the wonderful structure at one end. It's a good news/bad news scenario. The good news is that it has a modern purpose so it will be looked after. The bad news is that it is a state prison!
In 1530 in a last desperate attempt to reaquire autonomy Volterra rebelled against the Florentines war against the Medicis, allied with the latter but was again defeated and sacked by Ferrucci. When the Medici resumed power in Florence, Volterra lost its independence to the Duchy and then to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and began the descent to a slow decline until the 18th century.
The prison is actually the Medici Palace, called the Rocca Vecchia.

The construction of the theatre began at the beginning of the 1st century B.C. when the wealthy Caecina family rendered homage to the reconciliation with Imperialism by dedicating the monument to Augustus.
Just below the medieval wall there is a large terrace with three arched niches and two stairways which served as the entrance to the annular shaped criptoporticus over which the highest part of the cavea spread.
The cavea served as a seating area for the audience. Nineteen rows of the central and lower cavea are still visible, albeit with grass covering some of the stone. The itenera scalaria,the steps leading to the seats, are in Montecatini stone, the same used to sculpture the heads adorning the Etruscan gate.
At the foot of the cavea lies the semicircular orchestra originally veneered in marble.
The two corridors paradoi led onto the stage where the actors performed. The scaenae frons was elaborately adorned with two tiers of Carrara marble columns with Corinthian capitals. A couple of these columns still stand.
Three doors opened onto the stage from the wings which served as a changing area (the one on the left is still visible) . The curtain was rolled up from below in an ingenious telescopic manner and was contained in the narrow canal just in front of the wooden stage.
Behind the theatre are the Roman Baths built in the 4th century A.D.when the theatre had probably been abandoned.
The vestibule, the cold frigidarium and hot baths tepidarium and calidarium are still visible. In the far right hand corner is the laconicum or sudatorium, a circular room which served as a sauna.
Hot air was passed from the furnace ipocaustum into the raised terracotta flooring, remnants of which are still visible in the sauna.
During the Medieval period the area was used as a rubbish tip hence the Roman theatre and baths were completely buried until excavations began in 1951 by the Volterran archeologist Enrico Fiumi .
I must apologize but I have no photos.

The last of the Etruscan Lucomons was forced to recognise the supremacy of Rome in the 3rd century B.C. after the battle of Lake Vadimone (283 B.C.) and became part of the Italic Confederacy in 260 B.C. changing its name to Volaterrae.
Relations with Rome were good. The populace expressed their solidarity during the second Punic War, supplying Consul Scipione with wheat and naval equipment and proved their loyalty during the social war which granted them the right to Roman citizenship in 90 B.C.
A few years later, involved in the civil war between Marius and Sulla, Volterra sided with Marius. After a long bitter siege that lasted for two years (82-80 B.C.) Volterra had no choice but to surrender . The city was ferociously sacked, deprived of its citizenship and its territory declared “ager publicus”.
In politics, it pays to back the winning side.
Cicero, a close friend of the influential Caecinae family passionately defended the city and the dictator’s sanctions were greatly reduced. Volterra continued to prosper in the last years of the century evidence of which can be seen in the urban development during this period which included the construction of the theatre and a vast residential area in the neighbourhood of Vallebona.

Strolling the hilltop park we, at times, were beside some Etruscan excavations. Unfortunately for us they were fenced off and inaccessible. Thus it was the only shot available was the sunset as it cast its fading hazy beams across the ruins.
The Etruscan acropolis is situated at the heighest point of Volterra 552 metres above sea level offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding countryside including the sea and the Appennines, always assuming you don't have the seemingly eternal haze!
The acropolis, situated in the beautiful surroundings of a landscaped park named after the Volterran archeologist Enrico Fiumi, is a very interesting archeological site showing evidence of the superimposed layers of the history of the city.
This part of the city was destroyed in 1472 by the Florentines and the site not only encloses the foundations of two Etruscan temples , identified as temples A and B, but the road which delimited the sacred area, the vestiges of dwellings dating back to the Hellenistic period, a complex system of cisterns one of which is known as the Piscina and the ruins of medieval towers and roads .

Oh, yes they do. O.K. so maybe they use a few electrical tools but I can attest that the hand finishing is just that, done by hand.
The wonderful works of art being moulded in this cottage industry were a sight to behold.
As I am an advocate of wandering down alleyways and exploring, especially in historical cities, I feel coming across places like this make it all worthwhile.
If you are facing the museum just go to your left and head down the first alley and keep your eyes peeled on the left hand side.
There, the alabaster casts and statues will delight your eyes and, if you have enough money, you can even buy them. After all, that's what this "factory" is all about.
The name “alabaster” is undoubtedly Egyptian and probably derives from the city of Alabastron which was famous for the manufacture of vases and amphorae made as perfume containers.
There are two varieties of alabaster: the oriental alabaster ( calcium carbonate) and the chalky alabaster ( hydrated calcium sulphate).
This chalky alabaster, carved in Volterra and mostly mined in Castellina Marittima was formed during the Miocene period as the sediments of calcium sulphate contained in the sea water underwent a process of concentration. A soft white stone, alabaster is more easily carved than marble and thus ideal for intricate decoration and classical sculpture work.