Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza

You're standing at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, the oldest surviving indoor theatre of the Renaissance. From out here, you'd never guess. Take a look at the old medieval wall and the rough stone archway set into it. That archway is the work of architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. He deliberately gave it the same size and shape as the great arch at the centre of the stage inside. It's a little warm-up, easing you from the medieval world into the classical one. The rough finish simply helps it blend into that weathered old wall.