The city, famous for the mining and alabaster, has a remarkable site of Etruscan origin (of this era remains Gate Arch door beautifully preserved and the Porta Diana retaining blocks of the jambs) and Roman ruins and medieval buildings like the Cathedral and the Palazzo dei Priori on the square, the nerve center of town. The name is obviously of Etruscan origin and later adapted to Latin Volaterrae. Note the presence of the prefix vel purely Etruscan and significant rise.