Basilica Palladiana - Renaissance building, which stands in the center of Piazza dei Signori in Vicenza. His most notable element is the balcony with one of the first samples of what would later become known as the Palladian window - it was designed by a young Andrea Palladio. Creative work of the architect had a profound influence on the architecture of the Renaissance and subsequent periods.

Originally, the basilica was built in the 15th century and was known as the Palazzo della Ragione. The building housed the city hall, as well as a few shops on the ground floor. When in the 16th century part of the building collapsed, the Council of One Hundred commissioned Palladio restored Palazzo. The architect began work in April 1549 year. He has attached to the building exterior fence made of marble, the same loggia and portico, veiled the original Gothic architecture. Restoration of the basilica was a matter of an expensive and take a considerable period of time. Sam Palladio received money for this work most of his life. Only in 1614, the year - 30 years after the death of the architect - the works were completed. In 1994, the Basilica Palladiana was included in the list of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Today it proovdyatsya various exhibitions and social events.

In 2007 he began a major project for the restoration of the Basilica. The roof was pulled apart to remove the concrete, established here after World War II, and replace them with lighter, from laminated veneer lumber. The entire facade of the Basilica has been thoroughly cleaned and strengthened and provided with a new illumination. It was planned that the work will be completed in 2008 - the year of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andrea Palladio, but they had to be extended. The entire project is the restoration of the Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza cost 15 million euros.