Vestibolo and Odeo

Along the northern side of the theatre are the vestibolo and the odeo, used as reception and ceremonial rooms by the Accademia, and accentuating the monumental and solemn aspect of the Olimpico. Pompeo Trissino was responsible for both the decoration of the former and construction of the latter between 1596 and 1608. The vestibolo is linked to the outside via the door on Stadella del Teatro, the original entrance to the complex, and its upper part is decorated by a monochrome frieze depicting “the noblest actions by the Accademia”, created in 1596 by Alessandro Maganza. The adjacent Odeo room was designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi in 1608. The frescoes on the walls, featuring monochrome figures in yellow earth, date back to 1647-1648 and are attributed to the painter Francesco Maffei (1605-1660), the lower part featuring Olympic divinities in niches, identified with personification of the planets and, in the upper part, alternating with spaces for commemorative plaques, allegoric depictions of the months and corresponding signs of the Zodiac.

Passage freely taken from: AA.VV., La città di Vicenza e le ville del Palladio nel Veneto (The City of Vicenza and Palladio’s villas in Veneto, Vicenza Municipal UNESCO Office, 2009.