Sighseeing
Once an Etruscan settlement, Volterra boasts a stunning collection of bronzes and alabaster-carved funerary urns, dating back to that period. The art of alabaster-carving is still preserved in the town's craft shops, which you can find all around the city. Contemporary Volterra has recently spread outside the walled medieval inner ring and has now extended in the surrounding ancient defensive belt.
Baptistery
The Baptistery was constructed in 1238, yet its cupola was not added until the 16th century. Its façade is decorated to the one side with charming black-and white marble bands. Inside the baptistery is kept an Etruscan funeral urn, which was later redesigned into a holy water basin. In the centre is positioned an 18th century polychrome baptismal bowl, which replaced a former more graceful marble font, the latter carved by Andrea Sansovino.
Il duomo
The Volterra Duomo is constructed in the 12th century, yet its façade was completed in the 13th century. The most spectacular part of the cathedral is its ceiling, which was carved and embellished with gold and azure elements in the 16th century. The ceiling furthermore features portraits of local saints, among which the honourable native St. Linus, who became the second pope in 67 A.D.
Museo Etrusco Guarnacci
Museo Etrusco Guarnacci is one of Italy's most comprehensive and exciting Etruscan museums with an array of valuable relics from the town's rich Etruscan legacy. The museum features a prehistoric section housing some interesting Villanovian tombs and a number of busts and mosaics from the Roman period. There are furthermore over 600 Etruscan funerary urns, dating back to perhaps the 3rd century B.C. Other archaeological finds include some tombs, which are considered to date as far as the 9th century B.C. The urns measure around 3 feet, and most of them are alabaster carved with different motives and figures. The oldest ones are finished in terracotta. In addition, the museum houses a number of other objects from this era, revealing the house life and burial customs of the Etruscans, which are worth a semester-study back in college.
Palazzo dei Priori
Constructed in the 13th century, the impressive building of Palazzo dei Priori is the oldest structure of its kind in Tuscany. After its design were modelled a number of other buildings in the region, including the town hall in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. On the first floor of the palace is situated the town council chamber, which apart from its 16th century vaulted ceiling, has remained unchanged for the last 740 years. On one of its walls, you will see the masterpiece of Jacopo di Cione - the Annunciation.
Porta All'Arco
The distinctive arch of Porta All'Arco, the central gateway to Etruscan Volterra, dates back to the 4th century B.C. The gate was a bit remodelled during the Roman period, yet it still retains its Etruscan charm. Three basalt heads, a bit worn during the 2 millenniums of wind and rain, decorate the arch. The heads are considered to be representations of the three Etruscan gods - Tinia, Uni and Minerva. During the WWII, when the city was under German siege, the locals managed to keep the gate from destruction by filling it with stones.
Roman Theater & Baths
The ruins of the Roman Theatre and Baths are best viewed from an area reached through a steep street from Via Guarnacci down to Porta Fiorentina and then up through a medieval walkway. The remains of the once splendid theatre are one of the best preserved roman legacies in the country. Scientists locate their origin to approximately the 1st century B.C. Apart from exploring the remains, getting up here is worth it because of the spectacular views. However if you want to wander around the ruins go through the main entrance on Viale Ferrucci.
