Vitruvius's only building discovered in Italy

The only building attributed to Roman architect Vitruvius, who wrote the first book on architecture, has been identified in Fano, Italy.

"Certain identification" of the remains of a 2000-year-old building as one designed by Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was confirmed at a press conference in Fano.

The building is believed to be the only structure claimed to be designed by Vitruvius that has been discovered. It is described in his book De Architectura, written in the 1st century BC, which is the first known book on architectural theory and a foundational text of Western architecture.

An archaeological team first discovered the remains of a large basilica – a type of Roman public building – in the Piazza Andrea Costa square in the city of Fano on Italy's western coast in 2023.

Believed to have been completed in 19BC, the form, location and dimensions of the basilica correspond to a building described in Book V of De Architectura.

The building has a large interior space surrounded by 18 columns. The bases of several of these columns, which have a diameter of 150 centimetres and are estimated to have been 15 metres high, have been unearthed in recent years.

According to the team, it was the discovery of the final corner column in a location that "matched the exact centimetre" described by Vitruvius that confirmed the identity of the building.

The team hailed the discovery as a significant moment for both architectural history and the city of Fano.

"Today's discoveries, with the certain identification of the location of the Vitruvian Basilica, are of extraordinary importance: not only for the history of scholarship and the scientific community, but also because they open new and concrete perspectives on the archaeological heritage of the city of Fano," said Ancona and Pesaro-Urbino head of archaeology Andrea Pessina.

"A considerable heritage, long awaiting investigation and valorisation. And today, finally, we have a crucial key to interpret evidence known for years, such as the building beneath Sant'Agostino, and to more clearly connect traces, structures, and testimonies of our past."

Following the discovery, the city is planning to continue its evacuation efforts and form a long-term plan for conservation and public display.

The photo is courtesy of the Italian Ministry of Culture.

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