They find the mythical Basilica of Vitruvio, the architect who inspired Da Vinci
In the universal imagination, in classical iconography, there is an image that is recognizable to everyone. It is the one that represents the perfect proportions of the human body, which was created around 1490 and still functions today as one of the most surprising and precious drawings in the history of art. It is about "Study of the ideal proportions of the human body", or better known by the name "The Vitruvian Man". This drawing, accompanied by anatomical notes, was made by Leonardo da Vinci, who was inspired by Vitruvian architecture with the aim of demonstrating how man can be represented through mathematical proportions, symbolizing the triumph of science over superstitions, and even about religion. Well, the genius was inspired by another genius for this drawing, since Vitruvio also left great works as a legacy, although some of them have been in search and capture for years. Now, it seems that one of the great masterpieces of the architect has been found, after more than 500 years of exhaustive search: the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of the provinces of Ancona and Pesaro Urbino (Italy), say they have discovered the mythical and enigmatic Roman Basilica designed by Vitruvius.
During some construction works in the historic center of the town of Fano, the discovery would have occurred: a building has been discovered that is a set of at least five rooms, and whose walls, of which about 2 meters high are preserved , would be 1.50 meters thick. Furthermore, these blocks are faced with lime mortar and marble slabs. A discovery that would mean the end of one of the great enigmas in the history of archeology, since this legendary Basilica would have been built two thousand years ago, and decorated with marbles of great visual quality and great value, imported from Greece and Asia Minor. Likewise, archaeologists have brought to light floors covered with the aforementioned marble. Among these pieces, there is one that includes, experts say, an inscription with the letters V and I in two lines.
bombastic building
"The Vitruvian Basilica has been searched for at least 500 years in Fano," said archaeologist Ilaria Venanzoni, as well as pointing out that, since part of the building is under modern construction, "it will not be accessible, otherwise it would have to be demolished the entire center of Fano". With this, she ensures that the hypothesis that it is the true Basilica thanks to a quote in Vitruvio's treatise on architecture, in which he speaks of "the grandiloquence of the building, which has thick walls, rich decoration and also important epigraphs".
Marco Vitruvio Pollio was, in addition to being an architect, engineer, writer and Roman writer. He was the architect of Julius Caesar himself during his youth, as well as the author of the oldest known surviving treatise on architecture, entitled "De Architectura". It is about 10 books and where he was inspired by Hellenistic theorists, to talk about material orders, decorative techniques, construction, types of buildings, colors or mechanics. In this sense, the archaeologist Venanzoni points out that "'De Architectura' contains thematic chapters dedicated to various types of buildingsincluding the domus and the basilica, a building intended for civil uses, including the administration of justice, which usually overlooked the city forum".
