VOLTERRA
Porta all'ArcoThe main monument is the Porta all’Arco, one of the entrance gates to the city. This relic was built in the 4th century B.C. with a stone called “tuffa”. It is believed to be the only remaining Etruscan round arch with a keystone in place, and the inspiration for the Roman arch-building techniques.
The history is impressive. But for me, it touched my heart to know that the people of Volterra saved the Arch during WWII. In 1944, the Nazis wanted to destroy the Arch in order to block the way and slow down the progress of the Allies. The citizens convinced the Germans to leave it alone by picking up all the stones of the streets and blocking the Arch so it was no longer a threat. Smart people! There is a plaque in memory of them.
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What not to Miss:
In the main plaza, the Piazza dei Priori, you can see and visit the government buildings. Since Volterra is mostly a pedestrian town, automobiles are parked at the entrance of the city and everyone walks. The time we were visiting, there was a car race. This event was totally out of the ordinary and very interesting to watch.
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Another impressive site was the Roman theater. This was not only the site where plays were presented but it was also the location of the Roman baths. According to David, the site functioned as a trash dump until the 1950’s. A doctor had done some research and asked for government funding to clean up the area, but he was denied. Since he worked with mental patients, he had his patients clean the area at no cost.
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After the wine tasting the fun begins across the street in Bruno’s wine shop. You can buy wine with money or, if you are fortunate enough to be a woman, you can pay by giving him your brassiere. He collects them and proudly uses them to decorate the ceiling of his wonderful pub.
Bruno would rather have the fancy Victoria’s Secret bras to decorate his pub, but when the older ladies volunteer the big old 44D white, he does not turn them down. However, he hides them in the dark back corner.
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