Volterra is simply unique. It is set on a secluded hill, overlooking the surrounding countryside. Volterra boasts the artistic wealth of a city whose moments of glory were inevitably linked to its historical past and the events it witnessed. The town’s traditional working of alabaster and the carvers’ workshops add a characteristic note to Volterra. Alabaster is a clear rock which is easier to work than marble because of its softness. As it was considered as the stone of the gods, the Etruscans used it to enhance the decorations of their coffins and urns.