Fortezza Medicea (con Torre del Maschio)

Volterra's Fortezza Medicea combines an older stronghold with the later Medici fortress and its prominent circular keep. The joined defensive structures give a monumental form to the city's passage under Florentine control.

Why it matters

The later fortress was intended to secure authority over Volterra after Florence's conquest, not simply to defend the town from external attack. Its relationship with the earlier fortifications makes different political periods visible in the same complex.

What to notice

The Rocca Vecchia, also called the Femmina, contrasts with the newer Mastio. Walls connect the two parts, while the later keep and its surrounding towers create a concentrated defensive group. Sloping lower masonry and projecting wall-top supports reveal different aspects of fortification design.

Context and history

The medieval Cassero was completed in 1292, with later additions including a tower associated with Gualtieri di Brienne in the fourteenth century. Work on the Medici fortress began in 1474, following Florence's conquest in 1472 during the conflict over alum resources. Military and penal uses subsequently shaped the complex, adding further chapters to its history as an instrument of authority.