Volterra
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Volterra is a city in the Tuscany region of Italy. The city is in the province of Pisa.
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[change] History
The city was a Neolithic settlement and an important Etruscan center. It became a "municipium" (a type of Roman city) in the Roman Age. Volterra was attacked and controlled by Florence many time. When the Florentian Republic fell in 1530, Volterra came under the control of the Medici family. It later became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
[change] Important monuments and places
- Roman theatre (1st century BC), discovered in the 1950s.
- Piazza dei Priori
- Palazzo dei Priori
- Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
- Medicean Fortress (Maschio)
- Guarnacci Etruscan Museum
The Medici Villa di Spedaletto is located outside the city in direction of Lajatico. Also near the city, in the Valle Bona area, are excavations of Etruscan tombs.
[change] Volterra in Fiction
Volterra is an important location in Stephenie Meyer's popular book, New Moon. In the story, Volterra is home to the Volturi, a type of royal family of vampires.