Volterra Alabaster
On Gingerguide's self-guided San Gimignano & Volterra audio tour, Volterra Alabaster is a stop worth about ~45 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- San Gimignano & Volterra San Gimignano & Volterra guide
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About Volterra Alabaster
The alabaster of Volterra, a soft, white, translucent stone carved in the town since Etruscan times, still worked by hand in small workshops and shown in the Alabaster Museum.
Volterra alabaster is a very soft form of gypsum, mined in the hills near the town, so soft that a fingernail can scratch it. The Etruscans carved it into funerary urns from the third century BC, and a true industry grew from the eighteenth century. The Ecomuseum of Alabaster, in medieval towers near the main square, tells its story.
The museum needs a ticket; from November it closes on Tuesdays and earlier on weekdays. The workshops and shops in the old town are private businesses with their own hours. Ask before taking photos of the craftsmen.
Did you know? Volterra alabaster is a form of gypsum so soft that a fingernail can scratch it, which makes it easy to carve, turn and polish.
How much time do you need at Volterra Alabaster?
Around ~45 min works well for Volterra Alabaster — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Volterra Alabaster?
Yes — Volterra Alabaster made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across San Gimignano & Volterra. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in San Gimignano & Volterra
San Gimignano & Volterra guide →
Day 2 of the San Gimignano & Volterra in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Volterra Alabaster
Preview the San Gimignano & Volterra tour free in the Gingerguide app.