Vicenza

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Night view of the marvellous Piazza dei Signori in vicenza

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Overview

When Palladio escaped an oppressive employer in his native Padua, few would have guessed the humble stonecutter would, within a few decades, transform not only his adoptive city but also the history of European architecture. By luck, a local count recognised his talents in the 1520s and sent him to study the ruins in Rome. When he returned to Vicenza, the autodidact began producing his extraordinary buildings, structures that marry sophistication and rustic simplicity, reverent classicism and bold innovation. His genius would turn Vicenza and its surrounding villas into one grand Unesco World Heritage Site. And yet, the Veneto's fourth-largest city is more than just elegant porticoes and balustrades – its dynamic exhibitions, bars and restaurants provide a satisfying dose of modern vibrancy.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Teatro Olimpico

Vicenza

Behind a walled garden lies a Renaissance marvel: the Teatro Olimpico, which Palladio began in 1580 with inspiration from Roman amphitheatres. Vincenzo…

La Rotonda

Vicenza

No matter how you look at it, this villa is a showstopper: the namesake dome caps a square base, with identical colonnaded facades on all four sides. This…

Richly decorated Hercules Loggia in the inside courtyard of the Leoni Montanari Palace.

Palazzo Leoni Montanari

Vicenza

An extraordinary collection of treasures awaits inside Palazzo Leoni Montanari,including ancient pottery from Magna Graecia and grand salons filled with…

Roman Criptoportico

Vicenza

Six metres below modern Vicenza lies one of the city's lesser-known historical treasures – a 1st-century Roman cryptoportico. Discovered during postwar…

Basilica Palladiana

Vicenza

Now a venue for world-class exhibitions, the Palladian Basilica is capped with an enormous copper dome reminiscent of the hull of a ship. The building,…

Museo del Gioiello

Vicenza

Vicenza's expertise in jewellery dates back to 600 BC when the Vicentini were crafting clothing fasteners, called fibula. This museum celebrates that…

Palazzo Chiericati

Vicenza

Vicenza's civic art museum occupies one of Palladio’s finest buildings, designed in 1550. The ground floor, used for temporary exhibitions, is where you…

Chiesa di Santa Corona

Vicenza

Built by the Dominicans in 1261 to house a relic from Christ’s crown of thorns donated to the bishop of Vicenza by Louis IX of France, this Romanesque…

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