A Palladio Architecture Tour of Venice & Vicenza  

by Richard Frisbie

Andrea Palladio, the Italian Architect responsible for the classic look of the buildings in Venice and Vicenza (designs which spread from there all over the world) has been celebrated for 400 years of enduring architectural design with an international tour of his drawings, models and plans. He is the only architect whose name is also the name of a school of architecture. What’s the most recent acknowledgment of the significance of his contribution to the world of architecture? The Italian exhibit in the Shanghai (China) 2010 World Expo is the façade of the stage of his masterpiece, The Olympic Theater.

Besides designing or influencing the design of most of the important buildings in Venice, Palladio’s unique position in the world of architecture extends to nearby Vicenza. There are 23 examples of Andrea Palladio’s work in the town of Vicenza, with walking tours laid out to view them all. An additional 16 villas in his elegant classical design are located outside the town in the Vicenza region, of which Venice is a part. All are designated as unique buildings on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Even though Andrea Palladio is identified as a Vicenzian, he was born in Padua in 1508. He became established as the "go to" architect of the Vicenza elite in the 1540s after extensive construction experience and years of studying the architecture of Rome. He spent the next decades developing his distinctive Palladian style through the design and construction of the finest buildings of his, and some say, of all time.

At the height of his career, in 1570, he published "The Four Books of Architecture", a compendium of all he learned about classic design and the uses of concrete. This collection of his teachings led to the development of the school of architecture known as Palladianism, which is still studied over four centuries later. Today, Andrea Palladio is widely recognized as the most influential architect of all time.

Architecture Tours

My visit to Venice was a whirlwind walking and boating tour. Think graceful archways flanked by columns, Palladio’s signature design and classic elements in nearly every facade on the Grand Canal. Piazza San Marcos is surrounded by them, too, so the walking tour was filled with evidence of Palladio’s brilliance. The Villas on the mainland of Vicenza offered me a better opportunity to see the gorgeous interiors he incorporated into his designs.

My visit to Vicenza included a walking tour through the ancient streets to view the perfection of his designs of churches, palaces and public buildings. The ratios of one element to another, the proportions and sizes of the arches and columns, the distinctive balance of classical beauty and functionality all epitomize Andrea Palladio’s design.  

Teatro Olimpico

The highlight for me was the Teatro Olimpico, or Olympic Theater. It is classic Palladio, with arches and pillars and places for statues and busts in a magnificent backdrop for the stage. The backdrop itself leads the eye into an amazing lesson in perspective. The stage back has three openings, or gates, through which one can see the streets of Vicenzia recreated within the theater in a diminishing scale from front to back. It gives a theater-goer the feeling of looking through a gate into the original city.

The theater gives the impression of being "open air", with the ceiling painted as the sky. An actor could exit the stage by strolling through the gates into the city and disappearing into a backstreet. No picture can do it justice, and my walking tour did not include the stage, but trust me - in 1580 Palladio designed a stage set to rival anything Hollywood could build today. Unfortunately, he never saw it completed. His son, Silla, oversaw the completion in 1583 as a fitting tribute to his father’s genius.

Palladio Villas

The 16 Palladio Villas in the surrounding countryside were built for a leisured and moneyed class. I toured by car on routes developed and mapped to allow tourists and students of architecture easy access to them - many of which are open to the public. They were considered the epitome of style and design for rural (often summer) residences. Those used year-round were elaborately painted with murals on the interior walls and ceilings by the top painters of the day, such as Dorigny & Tiepolo.

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and "La Rotonda"

Andrea Palladio’s designs are familiar to North Americans, where perhaps the best known example of the "Palladian Style" can be seen in Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello. It is modeled after the most famous Palladio building, Villa Almerico Capra Valmarana, also known as "La Rotonda".

Designed in 1566 for a retiring Papal official, this symmetrical square building has a round center-domed room originally open at the top to the elements. La Rotonda commands a hilltop view of the river lowlands and the Town of Vicenza. It was truly a grand design based on Plato’s concept of universal order, where the cube, with corners marking the points of the compass, houses a sphere with a central hall as magnificent as any church. It is unique in Palladio’s civil architecture, and a "must see" on any tour.

Getting There and Staying There

Air France flies to Venice via Paris.

The Molino Stucky Hilton (rooms from $200) is in a beautifully restored 100 year old brick flour mill occupying its own island across the Canale della Giudecca from Venice. With 380 rooms, many retaining the architectural details of the original mill, and a rooftop bar with views over the bay and the skyline of Venice, it is a convenient, high profile place to stay. Their Aromi Restaurante serves American fare and Veneto specialties both inside and on the expansive waterfront landing. The Molino Sticky Hilton also provides a free shuttle boat to St. Mark’s Square every half hour. It is a 25 minute boat ride from Venice’s Marco Polo Airport.

Hotel Palladio in the heart of Vicenza is a very stylish conversion of an ancient building into a chic boutique hotel. Original 15th century architectural details remain, juxtaposed with extremely modern touches and all the conveniences one expects in a very good hotel. It is within walking distance of all Vicenza’s major attractions. Offering free wireless broadband internet access, the 23 rooms start at 130 euros.

The Vicenzia region is to Venice what the State of New York is to the City of New York, the second home and vacation area that produces all the goods and services that keep the city running. From ski resorts in the Italian Alps to world class Palladio architecture, from excellent vineyards in the midlands to organic farms on the lowlands, this region is a tourist destination in its own right.

For more information, or to plan a trip to Venice, visit www.vicenzae.org.

Molino Stucky Hilton http://www.molinostuckyhilton.com/

Hotel Palladio http://www.hotel-palladio.it/

Palladio Info http://www.palladio2008.info/