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, modelled on a Roman basilica, once housed the law courts and Council of Four Hundred. Palladio was lucky to secure the commission in 1549 (it took his patron 50 years of lobbying the council), which involved restructuring the original, 15th-century palazzo and adding a double order of loggias, supported by Tuscan and Ionic columns topped by soaring statuary.

The building is also home to the elegant Museo del Gioiello and its dazzling collection of historic and contemporary jewellery.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Vicenza attractions

1. Museo del Gioiello

0.01 MILES

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

2. Piazza dei Signori

0.03 MILES

The heart of historic Vicenza is Piazza dei Signori, where Palladio lightens the mood of government buildings with his trademark play of light and shadow…

3. Loggia del Capitaniato

0.05 MILES

This is one of the few Palladio palaces not strictly open to the public, though as it is the seat of the town council, you can in theory take a sneaky…

4. Palladio Museum

0.12 MILES

To better understand architect Andrea Palladio and his legacy, explore the frescoed halls of this modern museum. Artefacts include historical copies of…

5. Duomo

0.15 MILES

Designed by Lorenzo di Bologna, construction of Vicenza's cathedral began in the late 15th century. In the mid-16th century, Andrea Palladio added his own…

6. Roman Criptoportico

0.16 MILES

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

7. Chiesa di Santa Corona

0.17 MILES

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…

8. Palazzo Chiericati

0.2 MILES

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…

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