Exploring Palladio's Vicenza: A World Heritage Site, Vicenza, Italy

Even among Italian cities, Vicenza is special. Not just a handful of spectacular buildings, but a whole town of them, many of them designed by one man: Andrea Palladio. As we walked down the main street – called, naturally, Corso Palladio – past palaces designed by Palladio and his disciples in the 16th century, I started to get a sense of déjà vu.

Lots of the buildings look familiar. In fact, this should not be surprising, because Palladio’s designs have influenced architecture everywhere in the western world. Not just in Italy, but in London, across Europe and even in Washington, DC, you can see buildings with the perfect proportions and classical facades envisaged by Palladio.

The whole of the city centre is a World Heritage Site, recognising the importance of Palladio’s work. The city is regarded as a harmonious whole, incorporating Palladio’s ideas on urban design as well as his buildings. There are twenty-three buildings designed by him in the centre, and many more that were influenced by him. The UNESCO inscription also includes sixteen villas in the surrounding countryside. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).