Tempietto del Volto Santo, Renaissance marble aedicula in Lucca Cathedral, Italy

Tempietto del Volto Santo is an octagonal marble structure positioned in the left nave of Lucca Cathedral with carved ornaments and fluted columns. The structure has three openings that allow different views of the wooden crucifix and is topped by a late Gothic roof.

Domenico Bertini, a papal court official and patron, commissioned a new shrine for the Volto Santo, which until 1484 stood in a side chapel dedicated to Saint Sebastian. Matteo Civitali first signed a contract in 1482 for a conventional square plan, then within a month submitted an octagonal design that was approved. The shrine was built in 1484 for 750 ducats, and Civitali also received a house in the city.

The frieze carries fruit garlands tied with ribbons, held at the corners by classical masks and, at the centre of each face, a shield with the arms of Domenico Bertini. His motto, UT VIVAM VERAM VITAM, appears around the base of the lantern and beneath the tree trunk of the marble Saint Sebastian.

Visitors can easily reach the shrine from the left side of the cathedral and enjoy different perspectives thanks to the three openings. The interior is well lit so the wooden crucifix is clearly visible.

A Latin inscription beneath a marble statue of Saint Sebastian is the only reminder of the original chapel that once stood here. This hidden text tells a story of transformation that many visitors overlook.