Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
VISITORS' CHECKLIST
Road map
C3
.
E
Museo d'Arte Sacra
Via Roma 13
.
Tel
0588 862 90.
#
*
12,200.
9am-1pm, 3-6pm daily (Nov-
mid-Mar: 9am-1pm only).
n
Via G Turazza 2 (0588 861
50).
¢
1 Jan,
Astiludio (1st
Sun in Sep).
www
.
volterratur.it
(
Sat.
_
1 May, 25 Dec.
(also allows entry
at the Museo Etrusco Guarnacci and
the Pinacoteca e Museo Civico).
&
7
This museum, in the Palazzo
Arcivescovile, contains sculp-
ture and architectural fragments
from the Duomo and a few
local churches. The main
exhibit is a 15th-century
della Robbia terracotta of St
Linus, Volterra's patron saint.
The collection also has a
range of church bells, from
the 11th to 15th centuries,
some church silver and several
illuminated manuscripts.
P
Piazza dei Priori
This fine square is dominated
by the Palazzo dei Priori,
dating to 1208. A sober
building, it is said to have
been the model for the
Palazzo Vecchio in
Florence
(see pp78-9)
.
The 13th-century Porcellino
tower, on the other side of
the square, is named after the
small pig, now almost worn
away, carved at its base.
Detail from one of the panels
decorating the Duomo pulpit
Pisan artist Guglielmo Pisano,
has a number of humorous
details including a monster
snapping at the heels of Judas.
Nearby, in the north aisle, Fra
Bartolomeo's
The Annun-
ciation
(1497) hangs above
one of the side chapel altars.
More sculptures are housed
in the oratory off the north
aisle, near the main entrance.
The best is a tableau of the
Epiphany, preserved behind
glass. The remarkably humane
painted terracotta figures of
the Virgin and Child in the
foreground are believed to
be by Zaccaria da Volterra
(1473-1544), a local sculptor.
T
Teatro Romano
Viale Ferrucci
.
mid-Mar-Oct:
10:30am-5:30pm daily; Nov-
mid-Mar: 10am-2pm Sat,
Sun (not when raining).
¢
#
Arco Etrusco
One of Volterra's
more unusual
sights, the Etruscan
arch is in fact
part Roman.
Only the columns
and the severely
weathered basalt heads,
representing
Etruscan gods,
date to the
6th-century BC
original. The features of each
head are now barely visible.
T
&
Just outside the city
walls, the ancient
Roman theatre, dating
to the first century BC,
is one of the best-
preserved in Italy.
Enough of the
original structure has
survived to enable an almost
complete reconstruction.
1 Jan, 25 Dec.
Plaque outside the
Palazzo dei Priori
VOLTERRA
Arco Etrusco
6
Duomo
4
Museo d'Arte Sacra
3
Museo Guarnacci
7
Piazza dei Priori
5
Pinacoteca e Museo Civico
2
Teatro Romano
1
PISA
San
Francesco
Porta
San Francesco
San Lino
Porta
Fiorentina
Teatro
Romano
Pinacoteca
e Museo Civico
Porta
San Felice
Palazzo
Viti
San
Michele
V
Porta di
Docciola
PIAZZA
DEI PRIORI
Palazzo
Pretorio
Museo
d'Arte Sacra
Porta
Marcoli
Palazzo
dei Priori
Sant'
Agostino
Baptistery
Duomo
PIAZZA
VENTI
SETTEMBRE
Museo
Etrusco
Guarnacci
Arco
Etrusco
Parco
Archeologico
San
Pietro
Porta
a Selci
0 metres
250
Fortezza Medicea
0 yards
250
SIENA
Key to Symbols
see back flap
