Archaeologists Find Only Building by Ancient Roman Master

Archaeologists in the Italian city of Fano just solved a 2,000-year-old mystery that scholars have been chasing for centuries.

They found the lost basilica designed by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, the ancient Roman architect whose work became the foundation of Western architecture. It's the only building that can be definitively attributed to him.

The discovery happened during routine excavations in Piazza Andrea Costa in Fano, located in Italy's Le Marche region. Researchers confirmed the building's identity when they found columns that matched Vitruvius' exact descriptions from his writings.

Vitruvius wrote "De Architectura" (The Ten Books on Architecture) in the first century BC, the only complete architectural treatise to survive from ancient times. His principles about classical proportions influenced artists for centuries, including Leonardo da Vinci, who created the famous "Vitruvian Man" drawing based on his theories.

In his book, Vitruvius specifically described this basilica as a grand public building for justice and business affairs in his hometown of Fanum Fortunae (now Fano). But over the millennia, its exact location was lost.

Italy's Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli called it a discovery comparable to finding Tutankhamun's tomb. "The history of archaeology and research is now divided into before and after this discovery," he said at the announcement.

The Ripple Effect

The find is already transforming Fano from a relatively unknown city into an international destination. The city has operated a Vitruvian Study Centre for over 30 years, dedicated to promoting the architect's legacy.

Regional officials say the discovery will bring significant cultural tourism to Le Marche, one of Italy's less-visited regions. Fano Mayor Luca Serfilippi noted that researchers have been waiting for this moment for more than 2,000 years.

Excavations continue at the site to uncover more of the basilica, with plans being developed to potentially open it to public visitors.

After two millennia of searching, this ancient master architect's only known work has finally come home.