Church of San Giusto
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History
The Church of San Giusto was begun on 28 October 1628 on a design by the architect Giovanni Coccapani and built by his pupil Ludovico Incontri. The Church of San Giusto was consecrated by Bishop Galletti in 1775. It replaced a pre-existing church, called San Giusto "in Botro", built by the Lombards on the tombs of Saints Justin and Clement: this building was partly swallowed by the cliffs in the seventeenth century. The building is scenically framed by four 10th century stone columns, perhaps coming from the ancient church, surmounted by terracotta statues. The facade is bordered by two pilasters crowned by two obelisks in Borromini style; the pediment stands on the two central pillars.
On the current Via Vecchia Volterrana three religious people, after days of stressful travel, stopped to refresh themselves and rest, before returning to the path to Volterra. The two brothers with Ottaviano, continued their journey through «la Cecina» towards Scornello, to enter Volterra from the austere door to the Arco. Octavian soon retired in prayer in the Valley of the Age and Justin, although he was not yet officially appointed by the Pope, Bishop of Volterra, did the same with his brother Clement for the evangelization of the populations, as well as for the very defense of the city long besieged by the Goths. Until the day of Pentecost on June 5, 1556, the bishop Giusto and his brother Clemente, a priest in Volterra, died together. Later Bishop Gunfredo took care to build a larger church that included the chapels of Giusto and Clemente, which was entrusted to the care of the Benedictine monks of the nearby «Badia Camaldolese».
Unfortunately, in 1627, the advancing of the incessant erosive process of the area swallowed this ancient church in the chasms of the Balze. Promptly the Volterrani, devoted to their Patron Saints, the following year began the construction of a new church even more majestic, the current «Church of Saints Giusto and Clemente», on the hill of «Prato Marzio».
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