Built on a site inhabited by ETRUSCHI in the Middle Ages was a very important commercial byway of FRANCIGENA. In 1199 it gained its independence from the municipal to the bishops of Volterra. In the twelfth century, under the Ghibellines had a period of economic splendor thanks to the production of SAFFRON.
Because of its architecture of a typical medieval town it was declared a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE site in 1990 .
