Vicenza’s UNESCO heritage and the works of Palladio

Discover Palladian genius and the routes of Vicenza, a World Heritage City

Founded in the second century BC, Vicenza reached its greatest splendour from 1540 under Venetian rule. During this golden age, the local aristocracy entrusted architect Andrea Palladio with the design of new noble residences, enriching the city centre with sumptuous palaces and the surrounding countryside with extraordinary villas.

This exceptional universal value led to the city being recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Just two years later, in 1996, the prestigious international recognition was extended to the remarkable Palladian villas scattered throughout the Veneto region.

A Stunning Open-Air Stage

The City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto are a heritage of art, harmony and nobility. The UNESCO list now includes twenty-three historic palaces in the heart of Vicenza, able to fit harmoniously within the existing medieval urban fabric. Alongside these urban treasures stand twenty-four celebrated villas that redesigned and ennobled the provincial landscape.

Exploring Vicenza and its architecture means entering an elegant open-air stage, where Palladio’s rigorous classical symmetry has merged for centuries with the authentic beauty of the area. Follow us on an unforgettable journey to discover the genius that changed the history of world architecture forever.

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