VOLTERRA
Volterra, the "city of wind and sandstone" as the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio called it, is a veritable compendium of Tuscan history. From the Etruscans to the Middle Ages, Volterra, situated on a high plateau, offers uninterrupted views over the surrounding hills. The city is famous for its craftsmen who work the "soft marble", the locally mined white alabaster. Volterra was a prosperous town as far back as the Iron Age, when it first emerged as one of the most important Etruscan centers, ruling from its powerfully fortified hilltop.
In the 3rd century B.C. it had fallen under the hegemony of Rome and its population numbered some 25,000 inhabitants, placing it among the most densely populated cities of the time.
In the 16th century, Volterra was included in the Grand Duchy of Tuscan