Vitruvius’s only building has finally been discovered

Archaeology is a living science that continues to inspire passion and act as a driving force for the identity and cultural development of the territory.

This is demonstrated by the recent, groundbreaking discovery made in Fano (Pesaro-Urbino), where excavations for the redevelopment of Piazza Andrea Costa have unearthed the remains of the Basilica described by Vitruvius in his ‘De Architectura’, the only building that can be attributed without doubt to the most famous architect and treatise writer of antiquity. This has just been confirmed by a press release from the Ministry of Culture, emphasising the absolute scientific value of the find.

The “centimetre-perfect” correspondence between the remains of the building (in terms of layout, orientation, colonnade and proportions) and Vitruvius' description of the work ('the compositions of basilicas such as the one I placed in Colonia Giulia in Fano and oversaw the construction of, where the proportions and symmetries were established in this way... (Vitr. V, 1, 6)" confirms the accuracy of the attribution: the ancient basilica was a rectangular building with a colonnaded perimeter, with eight columns on the long sides and four on the short sides, approximately 147–150 cm in diameter and approximately 15 metres high, leaning against pillars and load-bearing pilasters supporting an upper floor.

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

The discovery is part of a long-standing research project: as early as 2022, the discovery of masonry structures and precious marble flooring in Via Vitruvio had indicated the presence of public buildings of considerable value. The investigations will continue on the site, financed with PNRR funds, with the enthusiasm of a new season of scientific exploration of ancient history.