Vicenza (Sito UNESCO)

The city is a destination for cultural tourism, by virtue of its being nicknamed "City of Palladio", which built numerous architectures in late Renaissance (23 only those recognized UNESCO sites), constituting an exceptional artistic achievement, which is worth the whole city ​​recognition of World Heritage by UNESCO. The city is also one of the most important Italian industrial and economic centers, above all in the dry and gold sector. The territory includes the area of ​​Monte Berico, which dominates the city from above. The sixteenth century was the century of the great late-Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio: the many noble families of Vicenza commissioned Palladio numerous buildings in the city, as well as many villas that completely redesigned the scenography of Vicenza. Among the main works, Basilica Palladiana in the central Piazza dei Signori, Olympic Theater, Palazzo Chiericati and Villa Capra called la Rotonda just outside the town. Palladian tradition was continued by Vincenzo Scamozzi and other architects until the eighteenth century. There are few testimonies of Baroque in the city: among these we must mention Church of Santa Maria in Araceli, designed by the architect Guarino Guarini, in whose altars there are paintings by Giambattista Tiepolo and Piazzetta, and Basilica of Monte Berico. Among the symbols, Vicenza's Jewel: a model of the city made of silver plates on wooden support in 1578, attributed to the goldsmith Giorgio Capobianco, on a project by Andrea Palladio and commission of the same citizens, who offered it as an ex voto to Madonna di Monte Berico to avert the epidemic plague. La Rua (wheel) has been for centuries the symbol of Vicenza's popular pride.