Type:

Luoghi della cultura; Ente/Istituzione

Category:

Art museums; Archaeology museums; Ethnography and anthropology museums

The Museo Diocesano of Vicenza was created in 2005 to hold some of the most precious and significant artworks of the historical, artistic and cultural path of the Church of Vicenza. The museum is located in the vast premises of the episcopal palace whose origin dates back to the end of the 12th century; subsequently enlarged and reshaped, it owes its present appearance to the significant interventions carried out in the 19th century and in the post-World War 2 period. One of the remaining 15th-16th century additions, located in the northern wing facing the inner garden, is the exquisite Loggia Zeno, a refined Renaissance work incorporated in the pre-existent Gothic building in 1494.

From the ground floor, visitors can access the basement which houses some donations -including a curious collection of minerals worked into a spherical shape- and where a few ancient findings can be seen, such as a Roman drainpipe and the foundations of an early medieval tower. The first floor, characterized by the presence of the large episcopal hall, a portion of which is reserved for temporary exhibitions, holds a remarkable collection of sacred jewellery and four rooms devoted to modern painting. The visit ends in the attic, which houses collections of religious art and ethnography.