Castello di Thiene is the most significant 15th century gothic building located in the heart of Thiene, an historical small town 20km from Vicenza. It is an extraordinary example of a pre-Palladio villa, the only one of its kind and a benchmark in the evolution of the Veneto villa. The castle associates the characteristics of a castle with those of a Venetian palazzo and in particular the "casa-fondaco", residence and warehouse/trading depot. The building was probably designed by architect Domenico da Venezia, "engineer" from the city of Vicenza.
The layout of the castle at the centre of the three floors is in the shape of a T. The main body has a deep loggia, open at the front with five, big, slightly pointed arches, flanked by two towers; on the first floor there is a corresponding five-light Gothic window, a rare example outside Venice.
Inside, its many halls are still perfectly furnished and they include a large collection of family portraits; of great importance are the frescoes painted by G.Battista Zelotti and G. Antonio Fasolo. Antiques such as clothes, fashion accessories and every-day objects are on-show in the 'private' rooms.
The equestrian paintings are rather unusual and absolutely spectacular are the stables, designed by the architect Francesco Muttoni, and which date back to the beginning of the 18th century. In front of the castle there is a wide courtyard with age-old magnolias and 'barchesse' on its sides; instead on the back, there is a park which includes a 'grotto', a 'cedraia' and an irrigation-ditch.
Fondazione Veneto Film Commission
Via Carducci, 32 – 30171 Venezia Mestre
Phone: +39 041 279 43 38
Email: info@venetofilmcommission.com
Audiovisual works filmed in the location:
- 1971, La notte in cui Evelyn uscì dalla tomba, film by Emilio Miraglia, with Anthony Steffen, Erika Blanc, Marina Malfatti, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Enzo Tarascio
- 2004, The Merchant of Venice directed by Michael Radford with Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Mackenzie Crook.
