Church Santi Giusto E Clemente - Volterra - Tuscany

Begun on October 28, 1628 to a design by architect Giovanni Coccapani and built by his student Ludovico Incontri, it was consecrated in 1775 by Bishop Galletti.

It replaced a pre-existing church, called San Giusto "in Botro", built by the Lombards over the burial vaults of Saints Justus and Clement: this building was partially swallowed by the rocks in the 17th century.

The building is landscapedly framed by four stone columns from the 10th century, possibly from the old church, with terracotta statues on top.

The facade is bordered by two pilasters topped by two Borromini-style obelisks; the pediment is grafted onto the two central pilasters.
In the interior, which consists of one nave, an old altar mensa has been preserved, which is now built into the choir. Inscribed are the names of Cuniperto, Longobard king of the 7th century, Bishop Gaudenziano and Gastaldo Alchis, founder of the first temple dedicated to Saint Justus.

In an urn on the high altar are the relics of the first evangelists and martyrs Carissimo, Dolcissimo and Crescenzio, with statues of Francesco Franchi from Carrara (17th century).

The chapel of the Company also preserves a fresco by Volterrano, Sleeping Elijah (1631), painted for the abbey of Saints Justus and Clement and transferred here at the end of the 19th century due to the collapse of the building, and a Visitation of Cosimo Daddi.

Willem Vandenameele