I was very impressed with the Teatro Olimpico which is the oldest existing Renaissance theater in the world. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the city of Vicenza which includes works from the famed architect Andrea Palladio. I have already seen a few of his works just going in to the city center and this is officially the third one I am seeing. So far, this is the most impressive one I have seen so far. The theater is wonderfully preserved and it look like one of those ancient Roman scaenae frons which I would see in some amphitheaters in Europe.

It is not possible for visitors to walk on the stage itself but the can get a fairly good look at the scaenae frons, right from where the audience would be. There is a small amphitheater in front of the scaenae frons and from the looks of it, it seems that this can still be in use but there are just no seats where you would expect them to be. Maybe that is to keep the entire place authentic that adding seats would just ruin it. At the rear of the amphitheater are several alcoves where there are individual statues set inside. I don’t know who these figures are but it certainly looks very impressive to see something like this. Again, it is like an ancient Roman amphitheater come to life.

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