Palazzo dei Priori
The clock on the tower has been marking time since 1393, and the building beneath it has been doing civic work even longer. Palazzo dei Priori went up from 1208 onward, making it the oldest civic building in Tuscany — older than Florence's Palazzo Vecchio, which it directly inspired. It stands on Piazza dei Priori in local stone, three stories of Gothic seriousness softened by a facade dotted with terracotta coats of arms, most of them from the Della Robbia workshop.
The building still functions as Volterra's town hall, which means the Sala del Consiglio on the first floor opens to visitors only when the council isn't in session. When it does open, you're walking into a room that holds frescoes by Jacopo di Cione Orcagna and Daniele Ricciarelli alongside centuries of accumulated civic weight.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who've been up the pentagonal tower more than once tend to time it carefully — the bell is loud at close range, and the 52 steps are genuinely narrow. The lift is there if you need it. Down at ground level, look for the 'Canna Volterrana' carved into the tuff between the ground-floor windows: Volterra's old unit of measurement, easy to walk past.
The story behind Palazzo dei Priori
Construction began in 1208 under the commission of Ildebrando Pannocchieschi, Palatine Count of the Holy Roman Emperor, with the work attributed to a master builder known as Riccardo — sometimes recorded as Richard of Como. Originally called the Palazzo del Comune, it served as the residence of the presiding priors who governed the city.
That civic role ended abruptly in 1472, when the Medici conquest of Volterra stripped the town of its municipal freedom. The loggia was demolished, two doors on the right-hand side were sealed, and the lions and Medici coats of arms that now mark the facade went up as symbols of the new order. The building later housed the local civic museum and art gallery before those collections moved to what is now the Pinacoteca e Museo Civico. The tower required partial rebuilding after an earthquake in the mid-19th century.
Good to know
Entrance is €5, with a combined ticket from May through September covering the Acropolis and Roman Theatre among others for €7. Hours shift seasonally — 09:00–19:00 through October, shorter from November to mid-March. The tower can get tight when groups arrive; mornings are calmer.
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What travellers say about Palazzo dei Priori
Great views from the top of the bell tower, lots of steps (and a bit tight at the top!) but worth it. Some interesting rooms and exhibits on the other floors too.
There is an exhibit hallway up in the building, you can visit it on your way up to the top of the bell tower. Great view from the top but be careful not to be up there when the bell rings. If you have the Volterra city pass you can visit the town hall, the art museum, the Roman theater, and the Acropoli Etrusca/Roman cistern up in the park with the same ticket.
Very nice building. But inside you can see a small Hall and a few miniatures at the top. Only worthy thing is tower. Climb is a little narrow but reward is beautiful view.
Beautiful old building located in an equally beautiful square. From the bell tower you can enjoy a splendid view. Entrance ticket too expensive.
The Piazza dei Priori and the palazzo is really worth a visit. We went early in the morning and had a good time with the whole family. Not to forget the nice arts marekt on the piazza dei priori where the kids could do a workshop with alabaster stone.
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