Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
come to the
Church of San Stefano
(only open early morning to 10am and early
evening after 5:30pm),
where there's a painting by Palma Vecchio. If you follow
Contrà Riale in the opposite direction and turn left where it intersects with Corso
Fogazzaro, you'll come to Palladio's most peculiar palace, the
Palazzo Valamarana
(at no. 16).
Continue along Corso Fogazzaro until you reach the Duomo, which was pum-
meled during World War II and then rebuilt. Turn into Contrà Garibaldi, and
continue until you find the Piazzette Palladio. In front of you is Palladio's early
masterpiece, popularly known as the
Basilica Palladiana
(Piazza dei Signori;
%
0444-323681),
which is actually more an architectural solution than a build-
ing conceptualized from scratch. Local authorities approached Palladio to convert
the existing (and collapsing) Palazzo della Ragione (which housed the Law Courts
and the Assembly Hall) to something more fashionable (and stable). His revolu-
tionary solution involved effectively creating a massive buttress out of two gal-
leries enclosed by Doric pillars at the lower level, and Ionic pillars at the upper
level. Destroyed during World War II, the copper-covered roof has been rebuilt;
a menagerie of classical gods is featured along the balustrade.
The Basilica is surrounded on all sides by squares, the most important of
which is the lively Piazza dei Signori, which separates the Basilica from Palladio's
incomplete
Loggia del Capitaniato,
built to house the city's Venetian military
might; the reliefs decorating it are a commemoration of Venice's 1571 vanquish-
ing of the Turks at Lepanto. A lovely spot from which to take in the visual drama
of the Basilica and the Piazza is the terrace of historic
Gran Caffè Garibaldi
(
%
0444-544147; closed Wed),
where a freshly made panino won't hurt your wal-
let too badly.
Vicenza's fresh-produce market occupies the Piazza delle Erbe, on the other
side of the Basilica. Here, look for
Il Grottino
(closed Mon),
a small watering hole
that serves snacks; a cool crowd gathers here to listen to laid-back tunes in the
evening.
If you are a fan of architectural marvels, it's important to include a trip to the
Villa Rotonda
(
%
0444-321793;
€
3; Mar 15-Nov 4 Tues-Sun 10am-noon
and 3-6pm),
generally considered the finest of Palladio's buildings, and considered
by those in the know to be the closest humanity has come to creating a “perfect”
building. Built on a square plan, and capped by a dome, it was inspired by ancient
Greek and Roman designs, and begun in 1567. Palladio's star student, Scamozzi,
was responsible for seeing the project to its completion in 1592. The easiest way
to get to the villa (also known as Villa Capra Valmarana) is on bus no. 8, but
cycling or walking is also possible. There are two viewing alternatives: either
observe from the gate, or pay to get into the grounds and see the exterior up close.
On Wednesday and Saturday, you can also gain admission to see the interior of
the villa, which costs
555
6.
From Villa Rotonda, you can walk to
Villa Valmarana “ai Nani”
(
%
0444-
543976;
€
6; hours vary),
built by an admirer of Palladio in the 17th century; the
real reason to visit is to see the splendid frescoes by Giambattista and
Giandomenico Tiepolo. If you turn up when it's closed, it's always an option to
pay a little extra to be admitted as scheduled times are terribly convoluted (inquire
at the tourist office).
€
