Palazzo dei Priori

Volterra


Volterra's 13th-century town hall is the oldest seat of local government in Tuscany. The staircase bears a fresco of the Crucifixion by Pier Francesco Fiorentino and there's a magnificent cross-vaulted council hall. The bell tower was significantly rebuilt in the 19th century; get to the top either by lift or 52 narrow steps. Sadly, the views are obscured by wire netting.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Volterra attractions

1. Palazzo Pretorio

0.03 MILES

Forming one side of Volterra's central square, the Palazzo Pretorio was the seat of the local mayor. From it sprouts one of the town's oldest towers, the…

2. Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta

0.04 MILES

A handsome coffered ceiling is the standout feature of Volterra's duomo, which was built in the 12th and 13th centuries and remodelled in the 16th. The…

3. Baptistry

0.06 MILES

Just west of the cathedral is the 13th-century baptistry with a small marble font (1502) by Andrea Sansovino.

4. Pinacoteca Comunale

0.07 MILES

Local, Sienese and Florentine art holds sway in this modest collection in the Palazzo Minucci Solaini. Taddeo di Bartolo's Madonna Enthroned with Child …

5. Ecomuseo dell'Alabastro

0.07 MILES

As befits a town that's hewn the precious material from nearby quarries since Etruscan times, Volterra is the proud possessor of an alabaster museum. It's…

7. Teatro Romano

0.13 MILES

The grassy ranks of seating and towering columns of Italy's finest and best-preserved Roman theatre makes this a particularly evocative archaeological…

8. Museo Diocesano d'Arte Sacra Volterra

0.21 MILES

Offering an innovative and particularly satisfying museum experience, this collection of sacred art is housed in the still-functioning Chiesa di San…