Volterra

Volterra
Volterra, known for the alabaster mining , is a town in the province of Pisa with a historic centre of Etruscan origin , with Roman ruins and medieval buildings: here as follows the route recommended by Casa Vacanze Gli Oleandri.

In Romanic style, the Cathedral of Volterra was built on several occasions between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The interior, restored in the nineteenth century, has features of the late Renaissance. The bell tower that stands at the side of the facade is an elegant building of the fifteen century .

The Baptistery of San Giovanni was built in the second half of the thirteenth century and has an octagonal plan with decorated marble walls , with the classic two colors of green and white , typical of Romanic buildings. The building has a dome. Palazzo dei Priori stands in Piazza dei Priori and was built in 1246, in the nineteenth century it was modified by adding a top at the edge of the tower. Inside, in the Hall of Great Council, you can admire decorations and families badges of the nineteenth century. The Fortezza Medicea is formed by two forts linked by a curtain wall. The oldest fortress has a tower with semi-elliptical plan , while the so-called Rocca Nuova, characterized by a massive fortification was built by Lorenzo de 'Medici.