Villa Rotonda - a masterpiece by Andrea Palladio

Not far from the charming Venice is the city of Vicenza, which is no less beautiful than the medieval fairy tale on the water. It is hardly possible to describe all the sights of a populated locality popular with tourists in one article.

Vicenza is called the city of Andrea Palladio in honor of the great genius who moved here in his youth, who built here magnificent buildings that became the pride of Italy.

Let's look at the country house, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, which is called La Rotonda (Villa Rotonda). Vicenza Palladio left a legacy of brilliant buildings, and in the architecture of the Italian city forever associated with the name of the great master.

The genius of architecture

His works in stone are never repeated, and even small decorative elements are individual.

Created by many masterpieces, the only architect in the world, whose name was named the style (Palladian), believed that any building looks the most advantageous with the correct ratio of the whole and the details in it. And no amount of decorated columns, magnificent statues, graceful arches will make the structure beautiful.

The principle of symmetry

Andrea di Pietro, known by a pseudonym as Palladio (on behalf of the Greek goddess Athena Pallada), it is no accident that he devoted much time to exploring the ancient buildings of the city. Drawing sketches of houses and temples, he realized why they are so beautiful. Measuring mighty columns, the creator discovered that before their erection, the masters carried out the most complicated mathematical calculations.

Palladio realized that the principle of symmetry for architects of past centuries was fundamental. One side of any structure mirrored the other, it concerned rooms in the form of squares and circles. After examining the rectangular structures, the architect determined that here they were especially careful in the correct proportion of length and width.

House, which became a model

Villa Rotonda, standing on a hill, like a cult structure, proudly rises above Vicenza. After the completion of the work, strict buildings for English aristocrats built according to this likeness began to appear, and the most famous copy is the Sophia (Ascension) Cathedral in Tsarskoe Selo.

This is the first private house in the history of construction, repeating with its forms an ancient cult structure. This similarity was due to the wide staircases, statues of the ancient gods and dome, which cause associations with the Roman "temple of all gods" - the Pantheon.

Dynamic statues

About sculptures should be said separately. In his book, the Italian mentions several masters who worked with him and created dynamic sculptures. The figures that the architect liked to place near the stairs are always in motion. This is not the usual frozen silhouette, from each image as if there are currents that give life to the whole building as a whole.

History of construction

Villa Rotonda near Vicenza, built according to the rules of the golden section, was created as a noble mansion for Paolo Almerico, and after the death of the architect completed the finishing work of his talented student V. Skamozzi for the new owners - the brothers Capra.

The history of the construction of the main sight of the city is known. To the wise experience the architect was approached by a priest who had moved to Vicenza, who dreamed of a perfect house. A fan of regular geometric shapes immediately realized that he would take as a basis a square in which he would write a circle.

In 1566, Palladio, who believes that the most beautiful are simple things, has developed a sketch of the future building. Thanks to carefully thought out mathematical proportions, the villa is characterized by perfect symmetry: a round hall was inscribed in a square.

The world's first building with a dome

The talent of the master was manifested in the fact that all the decorative details inherent in the temple architecture, perfectly fit into the private structure and give it a special elegance. The high base was an important part of religious buildings, and, building a secular home, Andrea Palladio did not forget about him.

Villa Rotonda near Vicenza was the world's first secular Renaissance building, decorated with a dome with a hole cut in it, through which the huge hall was exposed to sunlight.

The external beauty of the structure fully corresponded to the inner. To paint the interiors talented painters were invited, decorating the ceiling and walls with frescoes on mythological themes and allegorical images of the life of the priest Almerico.

Simplicity in everything

Villa Rotonda, famous for the name of the Italian genius to the whole world, consists of four identical facades, surrounding the dome-topped central round hall. Massive wide staircases, on the parapets of which are located stone statues, lead to each facade, decorated with porticos with six columns and pediments.

Simple, at first glance, architectural solutions without special excesses make the exterior look elegant and elegant.

Earlier, the ancient architects built the portico only to the central facade, and Palladio went against the established traditions, making the villa symmetrical from all sides.

Harmony of nature and architectural masterpiece

When designing the building relied on his invaluable experience of the brilliant Andrea Palladio. The Rotunda Villa, built in the best traditions of the ancient temple, blends perfectly with the surrounding landscape. The architect brilliantly mastered art to harmonize elegant architectural forms with natural beauty, having absorbed this skill from the ancient architects.

In his book, he confessed that he had chosen the most beautiful place for monumental creation as he could imagine. The author always turned to nature, and each of his work fully merged with her in complete harmony.

Assessment of the building of Goethe

Villa Rotunda in Vicenza has always been of great interest. Many wanted to get acquainted with the unique masterpiece, and Goethe was no exception. Extremely interested in antiquity, the German poet came to Italy to personally see the creations of Palladio. He believed that to appreciate the amazing beauty of structures is possible only in person, so went to Vicenza.

In 1786, after visiting the house, admired Goethe wrote in his notes: "Villa Rotunda is a magnificent structure located on a picturesque hill. It seems that before this architecture did not afford such a luxury. Each side of the house looks like a temple. Incredibly beautiful rooms and a large hall. The owner of the building, visible from any point, left the descendants with a real monument. "

Change of hosts

In June 1912, the Villa Rotonda changed its owner. They became the family of Valmaran, who wished to restore the architectural miracle. Professor of Architecture, Mario, who died in 2010, spent 60 years to ensure that it acquired the image that is known to contemporaries. In 1980, the territory becomes open for visits, and on certain days you can get acquainted with the interior decoration.

Today the owner of the villa is Lodovico Valmaran, who established a special fund.

Most researchers of the works of the Italian architect believe that the top of his work is the majestic Villa Rotonda. Palladio embodied in it his grandiose plans and demonstrated the architectural principles of symmetry.

A sample of style and ideal proportions in any visitor causes an irresistible desire to get acquainted with other works of the master, which in the district of the city abound.