Right at the entrance, visitors will see a majestic stone architrave from the 10th century, which once belonged to the San Lorenzo church in Montalbano (Siena). Various ancient bells are located on the ground underneath the architrave, as a symbol of the different bell towers of the diocese.
Once the visitors walk in, they are welcomed by a platform leading to the altar as a sort of red carpet. The main paintings are displayed outside the central platform, on red panels on the walls between the side altars. This way, the architectural and artistic heritage of the church isn’t affected by its new function as a museum.
On the left, one can see a painted wooden cross from the 13th century Castelfiorentino, whereas a 15th century holy water font in alabaster, the typical stone of Volterra, originally from the Chiesa Urbana di Sant’Andrea, is located on the right.

The painting “Madonna in trono e Santi” by Domenico Michelino, a painter from Florence from the 15th century, is hung up on the right wall of the church.
A glazed terracotta bust of pope and martyr San Lino, patron of the diocese of Volterra, made by Benedetto Buglioni between the 15th and the 16th century, is in the middle of the platform.
Going towards the altar on the right, one will see the beautiful ciborium in alabaster from the 16th century with its typical squared shape held up by four columns. On the church’s wall, on the other hand, is the beautiful painting of the Annunciation by Benvenuto di Giovanni, dating back to 1466, connected to the predella.

Also in the middle of the platform is a reliquary bust of hermit Saint Ottaviano, another protector of the city of Volterra, realized by Antonio del Pollaiolo with silver and golden copper. Next to the busts is a series of ancient religious vestments made out of precious fabrics, which accompany the visitors in a sort of procession towards the altar.

In the Santi Innocenti chapel, right from the main altar, is one of the two masterpieces by Giambattista di Jacopo, also called Rosso Fiorentino: the “Madonna in trono tra i Santi Giovanni Battista e Bartolomeo”, made in 1521 for the old parish church in Villamagna.
In the chapel on the right of the main altar is a painting by the main painter from 1600s Volterra, Baldassarre Franceschini, depicting “Santi Tommaso di Villanova e Chiara di Montefalco”. The painting almost looks like it’s framing the tabernacle that once stored the relic of the thorns of Christ’s crown.

In the last display case on the left of the platform is a precious antiphonary in two volumes, realized in 1300 by an Augustinian monk.
A door inside the church leads to the sacristy, which is very well conserved, as well as the original 1600s-furniture and two cabinets displaying precious pieces of jewellery, including some more modern ones.
Walking towards the church’s exit, one can admire the “Madonna in trono tra Santi Pietro e Paolo”, a painting from 1545 originally created for the small rural church of Ulignano by Daniele Ricciarelli from Volterra. The artist was known as the “Braghettone” (“the breeches maker”) because of his attempt at dressing the naked people shown in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.