As climate change, natural disasters, and the erosion of time continue to threaten historic landmarks around the world, digital technology is emerging as a powerful ally in the preservation of cultural heritage. In the ancient Tuscan town of Volterra, home to Roman, Etruscan, and medieval wonders, technologies like drones, photogrammetry, and laser scanning are being deployed to protect, reconstruct, and reimagine the city’s rich architectural legacy. 

At the heart of this initiative lies a collaboration that began in October 2016 when a team of researchers and professionals set out on a mission to digitally preserve Volterra’s artistic, architectural, and archaeological treasures. That discovery brought new urgency to this mission, and since then, a collaboration between the Volterra-Detroit Foundation, the University of Detroit Mercy, and other institutions has been working to document and digitally reconstruct key parts of the city.