Villa Capra "La Rotonda"

La Rotonda is a villa in Vicenza, northern Italy. The actual name is Villa Capra or Villa Almerico, but it is known under the name La Rotonda Villa Rotonda. Designed by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. The villa was designed and built about 1567-1591. The client was Paolo Almerico, a senior official of the papal retinue.

Location

The villa is situated on a hill on the outskirts of Vicenza. From here you have a wonderful view over the Venetian landscape in all four directions.

" The location is one of the most delightful and enjoyable that you can find. The house sits on an easy-to -climb hill that is bounded on one side by the Bacchiglione, a navigable river, and is surrounded on the other side of another rolling hills that look like a large theater [ ... ] "

Function

During the Renaissance, it was discovered the beauty of the landscape again and the "simple life " in the country as a supplement to city life. The villa was not intended as an agricultural utility building or purely residential building. It was a place of diversion, recreation and edification, especially in the summer months. The economic areas (wine cellar, kitchen, etc. ) were all located in the basement, the piano nobile remained free for use as a " cottage ". One can assume that there festivals and cultural events were held all kinds. Much more important than the practical benefits of the house but was probably the creation of an ideal building whose aesthetic was looking for the same accommodate the antique models.

Architecture

Palladio had dealt extensively with the ancient Roman architecture. His sketches of Romulus and temple of Vesta, but also the Pantheon were certainly strong role models in his design. The rotunda with attached dome as the central space draws attention to the orientation of Roman round temples. The plan builds on the basic forms of square and circle and has the shape of a Greek cross. In front of the cube-shaped building is on all four sides the same, open facade made ​​: a classical portico of six Ionic columns topped by a triangular pediment. Width of stairways lead from the park up to the piano nobile. From there you get into the Sala centrale, the central domed hall. Meanwhile pompous equipment with stucco and frescoes from the 1590s corresponds little with the intentions of Palladio.

The villa is divided into three floors: the basement with utility rooms, the piano nobile of the representative areas and about half a level in which lay the everyday living spaces.

" Because you can enjoy beautiful from any page views, among which capture some of the nearby area, the other rich in turn further and end others appearing on the horizon, one has built on all four sides loggias, under which, as well as under the main hall, the rooms are for the use and convenience of the servants. The main hall is in the middle, is round and receives its light from above. The chambers are Mezzanines. About the large rooms, the vault of which are as high as after the first type of indentations and lying around to the main hall, there is a deal of fifteen and a half feet wide. At the outer ends of the pedestals that support the stairs of the loggias, marble statues are erected by the hand of the sculptor Lorenzo Vicento. "

Covers in the history of architecture

Pantheon, Rome Rotunda (architecture) Thomas Jefferson
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