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The Arco delle Scalette ("arch of the little stairs") is an 
The origins and authenticity of the arch are unclear. The date of construction, set to 1595 (15 years after Palladio's death), is certain, like the identity of the patron, the Venetian captain Giacomo Bragadin. There are documented demands of the monks of the sanctuary, dating from 1574-1576, asking the community for financial support for the restoration of the entire path of stairs, but there is no evidence that the arch was included in the general renewal process, which involved the sanctuary itself. At the same way, the original configuration of the arch is uncertain. 17th century images shows the niches in the front of the arch, then moved in the intrados to host the statues of the ''
Mediateca of Palladio Museum
(source for the first revision of this article) {{Authority control Vicenza Buildings and structures in Vicenza
arch
An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it.
Arches may be synonymous with vaul ...
in Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan.
Vicenza is a th ...
, built in 1596, whose design is attributed to the architect Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio ( ; ; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius, is widely considered to be one of th ...
(about 1575).
Since 1994 the arch has been part of a World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
, designated to protect the Palladian buildings of Vicenza it as "City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto
City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto is a World Heritage Site in Italy, which protects buildings by the architect Andrea Palladio. UNESCO inscribed the site on the World Heritage List in 1994. At first the site was called " ...
".
Located in the south-eastern border of the historic center of the city, the arch marks the beginning of one of the routes climbing to the sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
of St. Mary of Monte Berico
The Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico ( it, Basilica di S. Maria di Monte Berico) is a Roman Catholic and minor basilica in Vicenza, northern Italy. The church is a Marian shrine, and stands at the top of a hill which overlooks the city.
Ori ...
(built in the early 15th century). The path, called the "Scalette", is a series of stairs with 192 steps. That was the only point of access from the city to the sanctuary before the building of the arcades by Francesco Muttoni Francesco Muttoni (January 22, 1669 – February 21, 1747) was an Italian architect, engineer, and architectural writer, mainly active near Vicenza, Italy.
Biography
He was born in Lacima, near Porlezza, on Lake Lugano, but his family moved to Vic ...
in the mid-18th century.
The origins and authenticity of the arch are unclear. The date of construction, set to 1595 (15 years after Palladio's death), is certain, like the identity of the patron, the Venetian captain Giacomo Bragadin. There are documented demands of the monks of the sanctuary, dating from 1574-1576, asking the community for financial support for the restoration of the entire path of stairs, but there is no evidence that the arch was included in the general renewal process, which involved the sanctuary itself. At the same way, the original configuration of the arch is uncertain. 17th century images shows the niches in the front of the arch, then moved in the intrados to host the statues of the ''Annunciation
The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
'' by Orazio Marinali
Orazio Marinali (1643–1720) was an Italian late-Baroque sculptor, active mainly in the Veneto or Venetian mainland.
He trained with Josse de Corte. He is best known for over 150 statues produced by him and his studio for the estate and gardens ...
.
See also
*Monte Berico
The Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico ( it, Basilica di S. Maria di Monte Berico) is a Roman Catholic and minor basilica in Vicenza, northern Italy. The church is a Marian shrine, and stands at the top of a hill which overlooks the city.
Ori ...
External links
Mediateca of Palladio Museum
(source for the first revision of this article) {{Authority control Vicenza Buildings and structures in Vicenza