| Volterra, magical and mysterious |
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D’Annunzio referred to it as the “city of wind and rock”, it is an urban aglomerate where, thanks to its isolated position that for centuries halted its industrial development, limiting the building frenzy that so often accompanies economic development, it is still possible to experience the true atmostphere of an ancient medieval township.
Volterra’s roots are buried in 3000 years of history and today there still are traces of every historial period it has passed through. It is this feature that has made it unique amongst historical cities. The main symbol of this historical heritage is the Acropolis. situated on the Piano di Castello , the highest point of the Volterra hills, that includes the Medicea Fortress and the Park. This area bears testimony to the birth and the development of the city from the prehistoric period to the XV century.
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The actual origins of Volterra are steeped in legend and linked to mysterious roots of the Etruscan civilisation. One legend, that dates back to the time of Augustus, claims that Volterra was a flourishing city even before the war in Troy, XIII Century B.C. According to this legend the people of Lidia, forced to abandon their lands in Asia Minor, landed with their boats in Central Italy.
The hill on which Volterra is situated, between two valleys and thus easily defendable, was chosen by the King of Lidia, Tyrrhenòs, who then gave his name to the city and to the nearby sea. The area was already inhabited by the etruscan people who accepted the new arrivals with generosity and allowed them settle easily in the area, thus facilitating the swift development of the two integrated civilisations.
A second legend places the origins of Volterra in an even more remote past. According to this legend the city was created by Janus, a relation of the biblical Noah, or even by Noah himself. It is interesting to learn that Janus was a popular part of Etruscan culture, the most ancient coins of the city bore his effigy.
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