Volterra International Residential College
The Volterra International Residential College is located near the west end of the medieval city walls of Volterra, facing Piazza Marcello Inghirami. The location has excellent exposure in the city and offers great views of the city and of the surrounding countryside. The building is only a short distance from the Piazza dei Priori, the center of Volterra. The renovation of the building for its current function as the Residential College was finished in April 2013 (see Building Renovation).
The building is ideally suited for a semester long academic studies, as well as for all other types of educational programs, whereas the students can live and work in the same facility, while they also take advantage of other resources located throughout the city of Volterra. The top floors of the building can house up to 21 students in 12 rooms and it has two faculty suites. The first floor offers academic facilities, with a large classroom/studio space, a seminar room and an exhibition/lecture room. The second floor is dedicated to social life of the school, offering a common kitchen with dining area and a spacious lounge.
The building was originally constructed in 1850 as the first art school in Volterra (see Building History). The two cartouches on the front elevation feature famous local artists, Daniele Ricciarelli and Baltasare Franceschini.
Building plans: