The 10 Best Things to do Good for Kids in Province of Vicenza, Veneto

Andrea Palladio’s last work and masterpiece, the Olympic Theatre was commissioned in February 1580 by the Accademia Olimpica, a society of mixed social classes founded in Vicenza in 1555 for cultural and scientific purposes and to which Palladio himself belonged. Construction began in May 1580, but Palladio died suddenly on 19 August of that year so did not see its completion. After various, complex delays, the theatre was completed five years later and opened on 3 March 1585 with the memorable staging of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus. The theatre is reached by way of the odeon and anti-odeon, two large rooms designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi and decorated respectively with frescoes by Francesco Maffei portraying divinities and allegorical figures (c. 1637) and a monochrome frieze of considerable documentary interest (c. 1595). This depicts theatrical productions presented by the Accademia before construction of the Olimpic Theatre (Amor costante, Sophonisba) and shows or events held in the new theatre (Oedipus the King, the diplomatic mission of Japanese envoys). Palladio designed a monumental scenae frons within an enclosed space intended to simulate classical theatres in the open air. It is flanked by two wings or stage doors and a semi-elliptical cavea with thirteen tiers, ending in a columned exedra at the top, partly open and partly with niches in the wall. Statues of the academicians who commissioned the theatre, dressed in classical costume, occupy the niches and plinths of the structure. A series of splendid bas reliefs showing stories of Hercules by Ruggero Bascape occupies the highest row. Wooden perspective scenery of the streets of Thebes runs back from the three openings in the scenea frons. This was designed by Scamozzi for the opening performance of Oedipus Tyrannus and has remained as a permanent feature

This marvelous bridge made in wood, named Ponte Degli Alpini, is dated from 1209, although it was rebuilt some times along the centuries. It is also called Ponte Vecchio, and the view one can enjoy from it, over the Brenta river and facing the Alpes during the Winter, is simply great !

Ospitato nell’ex convento dei frati francescani, il Museo Civico di Bassano del Grappa è uno dei musei più antichi del Veneto e le sue prime collezioni artistiche risalgono al 1840, momento in cui affiancava, nei locali del convento, il Ginnasio, il Liceo Convitto e la Biblioteca. Attualmente ospita la più grande raccolta di opere di Jacopo Da Ponte, oltre all’ala dedicata ad Antonio Canova dove, tra i gessi e i busti, sono conservati quei monocromi che i grandi critici hanno definito come esito massimo della sua espressività artistica. Dal 2014 il Museo Civico può contare sulla nuova Galleria Civica destinata alle mostre temporanee oltre ad un’area specifica destinata alla didattica museale.

Museum of railway modeling with attached layout of 120 sqm.