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Olympic Theatre (Teatro Olimpico) was the last work designed by Andrea Palladio and is considered one of his masterpieces. It’s located in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Vicenza, Italy.

 

History

The theatre was built between 1580 and 1585 for the Olympic Academy (Accademia Olimpica), founded in 1555. Palladio (1508-1580) never saw the completed project, and Vincenzo Scamozzi (1548-1616) stepped in after Palladio’s death to finish construction. It’s still in use today and is one of only three remaining Renaissance theatres in existence.

 

Admission

Admission to see the theatre firsthand is €11 for adults, €8 for students aged 18-25, and free for visitors under 18 and holders of a Biglietto Unico (as of August 2024). It’s open daily except Mondays.

 

Entrance

The theatre is entered through an old medieval wall on Piazza Matteotti with an entrance arch designed by Scamozzi. On the other side of the wall is the courtyard of an old fortress.

Entrance arch at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Entrance arch
Courtyard at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Courtyard

After purchasing tickets, visitors pass through the Odeon, which features some incredible frescoes.

Odeon at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Odeon
Odeon at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Odeon

 

Auditorium

The intimate theatre is spectacular. Incredibly, it still contains the original stage scene from its inaugural production on March 3, 1585. The scene from Oedipus Rex was designed by Scamozzi and made of plaster and wood. It’s the oldest stage scene still in existence.

Stage at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Stage

The scene was meant to represent the streets of ancient Thebes and was never removed. Scamozzi used trompe l’œil to fool the audience into thinking the scene goes on infinitely, but it only extends a few meters past the stage. His design was so elaborate that it allowed the homes inside the scenery to be lit with gas lamps from within.

Scene at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Scene

The seating area is made of wood. Behind it are columns and statues to match the scene on stage. The ceiling is painted to depict a cloudy blue sky.

Seating area at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Seating area
Seating area at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Seating area
Scene behind the seating area at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Scene behind the seating area
Ceiling at the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy
Ceiling

 

Conclusion

We truly enjoyed our visit to the Olympic Theatre and were impressed by every part of it. It was definitely one of the highlights of our visit to Vicenza. We hope that on a future visit we can attend a performance there.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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