Difference between revisions of "Volterra"

Latest revision as of 20:14, 5 March 2009

Volterra is a town in the Tuscany region of Italy.

History

The town was a Neolithic settlement and an important Etruscan center with an original civilization; it became a municipium in the Roman Age. The city was a bishop's residence in the fifth century and its episcopal power was affirmed during the twelfth century. With the decline of the episcopate, Volterra was the subject of the interest of Florence, which defeated Volterra many times though rebellions sometimes took place. When the Florentian Republic fell in 1530, Volterra came under the control of the Medici family and later followed the history of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

Main sights

A view of Volterra.

The Roman Theatre.

Roman Theatre (1st century BC), excavated in the 1950s.
Piazza dei Priori, one of Italy's most beautiful squares.
Palazzo dei Priori
Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. It was enlarged in the 13th century after an earthquake. It houses a ciborium and some angles by Mino da Fiesole, a notable wood Deposition (1228), a masterwork of Romanesque sculpture and the Sacrament Chapel, with paintings by Santi di Tito, Giovanni Balducci and Agostino Veracini. In the center of the vault are fragments of an Eternal Father by Niccolò Circignani. Also noteworthy is the Addolorata Chapel, with a terracotta group attributed to Andrea della Robbia and a fresco of Riding Magi by Benozzo Gozzoli. In the nearby chapel, dedicate to the Very Holy Name of Jesus, is a table with Christ's monogram, allegedly painted by Bernardine of Siena. The rectangular bell tower is from 1493.
Medicean Fortress (Maschio), now a penitentiary.
Guarnacci Etruscan Museum, with thousands of funeral urns dating back to the Hellenistic and Archaic periods.

Outside the city, in direction of Lajatico, is the Medici Villa di Spedaletto. Also in the neighborhood, in the Valle Bona area, are excavations of Etruscan tombs.

Volterra in popular fiction

Volterra is an important location in Stephenie Meyer's bestselling novel New Moon. In the story, Volterra is home to the Volturi, a type of royal family of vampires. They live under the city and use one of the ancient and beautiful buildings to lure tourists to their deaths.
It is also mentioned briefly in Thomas Harris's Hannibal, by Inspector Pazzi to the kidnappper Carlo.

Twin cities

Mende, France
Wunsiedel, Germany

External links

Gallery

Sunset in Volterra countryside

Picture on the hillside

Short frame of Volterra

Volterra castle

Volterra Town Hall

Interior of Volterra Town Hall

A street in Volterra

Houses on a hillside in Volterra

Balze di Volterra

Balze di Volterra and Church

The Roman Theatre (in summer)

Another view of the Roman Theatre (in summer)

Tuscany · Comuni of the Province of Pisa

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-__NOEDITSECTION__
+{{X}}
-'''Volterra''' is a town in the [[Tuscany]] region, [[Italy]]. The town has a history which dates back to the [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan Period]].
+[[Image:Volterra-Stemma copy.png|100px|right]]
-==External link==
+'''Volterra''' is a town in the [[Tuscany]] region of [[Italy]].
+==History==
+The town was a [[Neolithic]] settlement and an important Etruscan center with an original civilization; it became a municipium in the Roman Age. The city was a bishop's residence in the fifth century and its episcopal power was affirmed during the twelfth century. With the decline of the episcopate, Volterra was the subject of the interest of [[Florence]], which defeated Volterra many times though rebellions sometimes took place. When the Florentian Republic fell in [[1530]], Volterra came under the control of the [[Medici]] family and later followed the history of the [[Grand Duchy of Tuscany]].
+==Main sights==
+[[Image:Volterra101.jpg|thumb|left|A view of Volterra.]]
+[[image:Teatro di volterra2.jpg|thumb|left|The Roman Theatre.]]
+*Roman Theatre (1st century BC), excavated in the 1950s.
+*''Piazza dei Priori'', one of Italy's most beautiful squares.
+*''[[Palazzo dei Priori]]''
+*Cathedral of ''Santa Maria Assunta''. It was enlarged in the 13th century after an earthquake. It houses a [[ciborium]] and some angles by [[Mino da Fiesole]], a notable wood ''Deposition'' (1228), a masterwork of Romanesque sculpture and the Sacrament Chapel, with paintings by [[Santi di Tito]], [[Giovanni Balducci]] and [[Agostino Veracini]]. In the center of the vault are fragments of an ''Eternal Father'' by [[Niccolò Circignani]]. Also noteworthy is the Addolorata Chapel, with a terracotta group attributed to [[Andrea della Robbia]] and a fresco of ''Riding Magi'' by [[Benozzo Gozzoli]]. In the nearby chapel, dedicate to the Very Holy Name of Jesus, is a table with Christ's monogram, allegedly painted by [[Bernardine of Siena]]. The rectangular bell tower is from 1493.
+*Medicean Fortress (''Maschio''), now a [[penitentiary]].
+*Guarnacci Etruscan Museum, with thousands of funeral [[urns]] dating back to the [[Hellenistic]] and [[archaic period in Greece|Archaic]] periods.
+Outside the city, in direction of [[Lajatico]], is the [[Medici]] [[Villa di Spedaletto]]. Also in the neighborhood, in the Valle Bona area, are excavations of Etruscan [[tombs]].
+==Volterra in popular fiction==
+*Volterra is an important location in [[Stephenie Meyer]]'s bestselling novel ''[[New Moon (novel)|New Moon]]''. In the story, Volterra is home to the [[Volturi]], a type of royal family of vampires. They live under the city and use one of the ancient and beautiful buildings to lure tourists to their deaths.
+*It is also mentioned briefly in [[Thomas Harris]]'s ''[[Hannibal (novel)|Hannibal]]'', by Inspector Pazzi to the kidnappper Carlo.
+==Twin cities==
+*{{flagiconFrance}} [[Mende, Lozère|Mende]], [[France]]
+*{{flagiconGermany}} [[Wunsiedel]], [[Germany]]
+==External links==
 * [http://www.comune.volterra.pi.it/ Town web site]
-* [http://www.lodgephoto.com/galleries/italy-tuscany/volterra/ Photographs of Volterra]
+* [http://www.volterratur.it/ Tourism Office Web Site]
+* [http://www.alabastroinvolterra.it/ Web Site about Alabaster Craftmanship]
+* [http://www.360tuscany.net/?area=Volterra&mapArea=Volterra 360° Photo Tour & Information on Volterra]
+* [http://www.arteinbottegavolterra.it/ Alabaster Craftsmen Association]
+* [http://www.volterra.net/ Volterra history and Etruscan Museum]
+* {{en icon}} [http://www.volterra.net/guarnacci_museum.htm Guarnacci Etruscan Museum in Volterra]
+==Gallery==
+<gallery>
+Image:Sunset Volterra.jpg|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Sunset in Volterra countryside
+Image:viewonthehillsideofVolterra.jpg|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Picture on the hillside
+Image:Volterra.jpg|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Short frame of Volterra
+Image:Volterracastle.jpg|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Volterra castle
+Image:Volterra-Town-Hall.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Volterra Town Hall
+Image:Volterra-Town-Hall-interior.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Interior of Volterra Town Hall
+Image:A-street-in-Volterra.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>A street in Volterra
+Image:Houses-on-a-hillside-in-Volterra.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Houses on a hillside in Volterra
+Image:Balze-di-Volterra.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Balze di Volterra
+Image:Balze-di-Volterra-and-Church.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Balze di Volterra and Church
+Image:Teatro-di-Volterra-in-summer.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>The Roman Theatre (in summer)
+Image:Teatro-di-Volterra-in-summer-2.JPG|<font face="Trebuchet MS" font color=black>Another view of the Roman Theatre (in summer)
+</gallery>
+<br>
+{{Province of Pisa}}
+[[Category:Hilltowns in Italy]]
+[[Category:Cities and towns in Tuscany]]
+[[Category:Hilltowns in Tuscany]]
+[[Category:Etruscan sites]]