Palladio, Andrea: The four books of Andrea Palladio's architecture (Band 3): Wherein the ways, bridges, piazzas, basilicas, and xisti are treated of (London, 1738)

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T II I R D BOO K.

59

As in cities beauty is added to the strects by fine fabrics; so without, they arc adorn'd
with trees; which being planted on each iidc os them, by their verdure enliven our minds,
and by their [bade asford very great conveniency. Of these kinds os roads there arc
many in the Vtccntine; and among the rest, those that are at (.'.; W, a villa belonging
to the Signor Conic Odoardo Thieni, are celebrated; and at ^li'S}itoy a villa belonging
to the Signor Conte Ottavio, os the same samily : which being ddigncd by me, have
been lince adorned by the diligence and indultry os the laid gentlemen. The roads that
are thus made, afford very great OOnveuencies, becaule that by their flrait dircistion, and
by being somewhat railed above the remaining part os the fields, (peaking os those which are
without the city, in time of war, as I have said, the enemies may be dilcovered srom a great
distance, and so that resolution, which shall seem moll convenient to the commander, may
be taken; he side* all which, at other times, with regard to the affairs that commonly happen
among men, their brevity and conveniency will afford inhnite advantages.
But becaule the strects arc cither within or without a city, I Ih.dl, in the firss place, make
particular mention of the qualities which those of a city ought to have; and tbctl how those
without are to be made. And lince there are same that are called military, which pate
through the middle ot the city, and lead srom one city to another, and servc for the univerlal
licy oi traveller*, and are thoie through which armies march, and carriages are
conveyed; and others not military, which departiag from the military, either lead to ano-
ther military way, or are made for the nie and particular conveniently at some villa: I (hall,
in the sollowing chapters, only treat oi the military ones, omitting the non-militarv, because
thefe ou [ht to he regulated by them ; and the more they fliall be like them, the more they'll
be commended.

CHAP. II.

Os the Compartment of ways within the cities.



dutiful; they will
! be made ample,
And therefore it
rrower thin eight
rooked and wind-
that is, that there
fthey are notob-
sajan, regarding
: molt celebrated
up fenny places,
■, made travelling

Ids, according to
■e no p!.'
• so the I
■e sswuld beany
ies, are alio **■
,n from the city.
mce, and beside.
leviated, and our
rion and dehgW-
e and clean i °"
cnts, which ta"


IN the compartment or disposition of the Ways within a city, regard ought to be had to
the temperature of the air, and to the region of the heaven, under which the city is situa-
ted. For in those of a temperate and cool air, the (treets ought to be made ample and broad ; con-
sidering, that by their breadth the city will be much wholesomcr, more commodious, and more
beautiful; seeing that the lets subtile, and the more sreely die air comes, so much the lest it will
offend the head. The more the city, therefore, is in a cold place, and hath a subtile air,
and where the edifices are made very high, so much the wider the strects ought to be made,
that they may, in each of their parts, be visitcd by the sun. And as to conveniency, there
is no doubt, that, as much better room may be allowed to men, to cattle, and to carriages
in broad than in the narrow itreets, broad ones are much more convenient than the
narrow ; it being manisest, that as there is much more light in the broad ones, and also that
as one side is not lo much obstrucled by the other, its oppolite, one is able, in the large ones, much
better toconsider the beauty of the temples, and os the palaces, whereby the eve receives greater
contentment; it adds bessdes a greater ornament to the city.
But the city being in a hot country, its rtreets ought to be made narrow and the houses
high, that by their ssiade, and by the narrowness of the strects, the heat of the site may
be tempered ; by which means it will be more healthy. This is known by the example
of Rome, which, according to Cornelius Tacitus, grew hotter, and lets healthy, aster
Nero, to make it beautiful, had widened its strects. In such case, however, sor the
greater ornament and conveniency os the city, the streets moil srequented by the principal
arts, and by paiTcngers, ought to be made spacious, and adorned with magnificent and sump-
tuous sabrics, that foreigners who pals through it, may casily incline to believe, that to the
beauty and largcness of this, the other streets os the city may also correspond.
The principal slreets, which we have called military, in the cities ought to be so comparted,
that they may be straight, and lead from the gates of the city in a direct line to the greatert
and principal piazza; and sometimes also, the lite permitting it, lead in the same manner
directly to the oppostte gate; and according to the greatness os the city, by the lame line.
Of Inch strects, between the said principal piazza, and any of the gates you please, there
ought to be one or more piazza's, made somewhat lcis than the besore-laid principal
piazza.
The

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