Description of the attraction
Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare is an aristocratic palace in Vicenza, designed by Andrea Palladio around 1572 and built after his death by Vincenzo Scamozzi. This is one of several city residences of the Thiene family that Palladio worked on (another is located in the Contra Porti area and is called Palazzo Thiene). In 1994, the palace was included in the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites.
To date, there are many more versions and guesses about the history of the construction of the Palazzo than reliably known facts. For example, the exact date of the start of construction of this urban villa by Francesco Thiene, which he decided to build on the eastern end of Strada Maggiore (now Corso Palladio), is unknown. After the death of Palladio, some time passed before construction began - for example, on one of the maps from 1580, old houses and a garden are still depicted on the site of the palace. It is known for certain that in 1586, work on the construction of the Palazzo was never started, - this is evidenced by historical documents. And in 1593, after the death of the customer Francesco Thiene, only a third of the building was completed. Thiene's heir, Enea, was able to complete the construction only at the beginning of the 17th century. And in 1835 it was acquired by Lelio Bonin Longare, who gave the Palazzo its modern name.
In one of his works, published in Venice in 1615, Vincenzo Scamozzi writes that he was responsible for the construction of the Palazzo, designed by another architect (although he does not specify which one). However, there is no doubt that this architect was Andrea Palladio, since there are two author's sketches of the building, in which Palazzo Thiene is guessed. These sketches show a building similar to the current palace, but with a very different façade. It is believed that Palladio created the Palazzo project in 1572, when Francesco Thiene and his uncle Orazio shared the family heritage and Francesco became the owner of the plot of land on which the residence was built.
In the appearance of Palazzo Thiene, other creations of the architects who worked on it are guessed. Thus, the design of the lower part of the building and its luxurious two-storey loggia in the courtyard echoes the Palazzo Barbaran da Porto. Other elements are clearly borrowed from the Palazzo Trissino by Scamozzi. The deep atrium, which stands out from the general architectural composition, can also be the creation of Scamozzi. It is also worth noting that the rooms to the right of the entrance are built within the walls of a previously existing building, while the rooms to the left are built on a completely new foundation.
