Piazza San Giovanni - cathedral square

To the south of Piazza dei Priori is Piazza San Giovanni, the religious centre of Volterra. Crowning the square is the 12th-century Duomo, with its Pisan Romanesque façade. Officially known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, the cathedral is currently closed for restoration, probably until September 2019.  Inside, the highlight is the impressive coffered ceiling and a collection of works of art dating from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. The sculpture of the Deposition is an extremely rare Romanesque woodcarving, simple in execution but full of pathos and drama. The Duomo, remodelled in the 16th century, should be returning to its former glory fairly soon.

Opposite the cathedral stands the octagonal Baptistery, supposedly built on the site of a Pagan temple. The black-and-white striped Baptistry is notable for its harmonious marble doorway and for its fine baptismal font, sculpted by Sansovino in 1505.

Address: Piazza San Giovanni, Volterra
Web: www.volterratur.it