DATE OF FOUNDATION
1998
MEMBERSHIP OF LITAB
1998
PRESIDENT
Alessandro Benassai
The Compagnia Balestrieri Città di Volterra (Crossbowmen Company of the City of Volterra), re-founded in 1998 after careful historical research, aims to revive and promote the charm of crossbow shooting, which has been present in the city since the early days of the municipality.
There are many documents that mention crossbowmen. The reforms of the Statutes of 1320 show that they constituted the most skilled force defending the city, which at that time had 114 crossbowmen supplied by the various city districts, in addition to those from the surrounding castles and villages.
Since 1998, the Company has grown thanks to its passion for shooting and its careful historical reconstruction of the activities and clothing of the period it represents, namely the mid-1300s.
A member of LITAB since 1998, the Company immediately began participating in the Italian Crossbow Championships, achieving increasingly important results, managing to climb onto the Italian podium for ten consecutive years and winning, since 2000, 22 national medals between the two competitions, team and individual.
The activities of the Volterra crossbowmen are geared towards playing a significant cultural role, with the organization of historical reenactments and concrete activities linked to the dissemination and promotion of topics related to the Company and crossbow shooting. During the many public and educational events, the Volterra crossbowmen illustrate both the technical aspects of shooting and how the crossbow has developed throughout history, as well as the importance that this weapon has had in Volterra.
In 2014, with the inauguration of the “Crossbow Shooting Museum,” created within the headquarters of the Compagnia Balestrieri, the partnership with local schools was strengthened, establishing an ongoing dialogue with the Councilor for Education and Culture in order to organize events involving citizens and schools of all levels.
Research and attention to detail in the organization of events has become a cornerstone for the Company itself, so much so that it has earned significant recognition, such as obtaining important sponsorships for its events and participating in major events, such as Expo Milano in 2015. In this sense, maintaining the recognition obtained with the Association’s registration in the Register of Historical Reenactment and Reconstruction Associations of Tuscany, and with the two events in the Register of Historical Reenactment Events established by Regional Law No. 5/2012, is a symbol of the high level achieved.
Perched on a hill at an altitude of 545 meters, Volterra dominates and divides the Val di Cecina and Val d’Era valleys. Its isolated position, far from the sea and major urban settlements, has contributed to its growing strategic importance over the centuries.
Rich in history and culture, Volterra still preserves buildings that tell its story.
It is enclosed within ancient walls, and it is possible to distinguish between the Etruscan walls and the medieval walls dating back to the 13th century. There are four gates leading into the historic center of the city: Porta Selci and Porta dell’Arco, from the Etruscan period, and Porta San Francesco and Porta Fiorentina, from the medieval period.
Inside the city walls, the ancient village remains virtually intact, spreading out around two main squares: Piazza dei Priori and the adjacent Piazza San Giovanni. The former is the center of political life, while the latter is the hub of religious life.
Piazza dei Priori represents the medieval heart of the city. It is bordered by Palazzo dei Priori, one of the oldest municipal buildings in Tuscany, whose construction probably dates back to 1208.
A pentagonal tower, added after 1846, contributes to the building’s austere appearance. Another building in the square is the Palazzo Pretorio, also dating back to the 13th century like the Palazzo dei Priori. It is protected by the Torre Merlata dei Podestà, on top of which there is a sculpture depicting a small wild boar, hence its name ‘Torre del Porcellino’ (Tower of the Piglet).
In the adjacent Piazza San Giovanni stands the Cathedral, whose structure is ‘grafted’ onto the rear of the Palazzo dei Priori. Built in the 12th century in Romanesque style, it has a facade decorated with a central rose window and crowned by a tympanum. Opposite the Duomo is the Baptistery, whose façade is covered with white and green marble bands and a Romanesque portal. Inside are works by Renaissance artists, including Andrea Sansovino.
The city’s fortifications are located at the highest point of the Volterra hill and consist of two buildings: the Rocca Vecchia, dating back to 1343 and characterized by a semi-elliptical tower known as the ‘Femmina’, and the Rocca Nuova, built by Lorenzo De Medici, consisting of a square-shaped fortification topped by a taller tower known as the ‘Mastio’. The two fortifications are connected by a walkway.
Headquarters
Viale Vittorio Veneto 2
56048 Volterra (PI)