Castello di Thiene: a record-breaking 2025 of culture, music and new openings
Castello di Thiene closed the year with numbers that speak for themselves: 10% more visitors than in 2024 and a programme that successfully combined tradition and innovation.
No small achievement for a historic residence that continues to show how cultural heritage can be vibrant, accessible and deeply connected to its local area.
A place that grows (and knows how to build networks)
What stands out in the project led by Francesca di Thiene and her family is the ability to look beyond boundaries. This year, collaborations with Dimore Amiche del Veneto and ADSI created important synergies, while work with Veneto Segreto brought new visitors to the castle — people eager to discover lesser-known corners and stories.
There were also special openings: Valentine’s Day with romantic visits, themed itineraries and dedicated events. In short, the castle did not stand still waiting for someone to knock on its door — it threw the doors wide open and warmly welcomed its visitors.
«We chose to enhance Castello di Thiene as a cultural asset, but also as a shared space capable of shining a light on the surrounding area,» says Francesca di Thiene. «In a region full of historic villas like ours, we believe networking is essential. Preservation also means opening up, telling stories and sharing.»
When music arrives (and stays)
If there is one thing that defined 2025, it was music. The castle hosted a stop of the Le Dimore della Musica festival, in collaboration with the Società del Quartetto di Vicenza, as well as an entire week devoted to concerts and masterclasses with Castello in Musica.
Maestro Massimo Somenzi coordinated a programme that brought together renowned performers and young talents, turning the historic spaces into a sort of open-air academy. Because that is the true beauty of a place like this: it is not merely a backdrop, but becomes an integral part of the experience.
Shakespeare comes home (or rather, to the castle)
On the theatre front, the company L’Archibugio developed a truly engaging site-specific project. The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet were staged by making full use of the castle’s architecture and atmosphere, which became both a natural set and a character in its own right.
This is not theatre inside the castle — it is theatre with the castle. And the difference is tangible.
An archive that tells centuries of stories
One of the most significant projects of the year was the completion of work on the historical archive of the Capra family, covering documents from the 11th to the 19th century. These are not just dusty papers: they are living memory — stories of people, territory and change.
The Carte in Dimora project, promoted by ADSI, has further strengthened the castle’s role as a place of research and dissemination. This attention to history is perhaps what makes the difference between a museum and a place that truly breathes.
Families, children and a touch of magic
The castle has not forgotten its youngest visitors, continuing to invest in family-oriented programming. Throughout the year, themed itineraries such as Alice in the Castle of Wonders and Frozen were organised, alongside seasonal events that marked the passing of the months.
Summer brought A Fairy-Tale Night at the Castle, while autumn lit up with The Farm for Halloween. Other highlights included Journey into the Renaissance, recreating the atmosphere of the 16th century, and Santa Claus’s Magical Castle, which closed the year on a festive note.
In 2026, the Italian School of Magic — dedicated to the magical world of Harry Potter—will also return.
Reservations are already open.
The park: a green (and historic) lung
Life is not made of events alone. In 2025, significant efforts were also devoted to protecting the park, with care given to tall trees and centuries-old specimens.
Because the landscape is not merely a frame: it is part of the site’s history and deserves the same attention as the castle walls themselves.
Growing media attention
The cultural buzz surrounding Castello di Thiene did not go unnoticed. During 2025, Il Giornale di Vicenza and several websites, including Vicenza Today and Nord Est 24, devoted coverage to the historic residence’s initiatives, reporting on musical events, theatrical performances and archive enhancement projects.
This media attention helped extend the castle’s visibility well beyond provincial and regional boundaries, confirming that the quality of its programming and the originality of its proposals can generate interest and engagement even among more distant audiences.
Prestigious magazines such as Domus and Marie Claire also published articles on the cultural restoration of Castello di Thiene, thanks to the multimedia itinerary inaugurated in 2024.
And now? 2026 is already here
Plans for the new year are already underway and being finalised. The music programme will be further strengthened, Design in Villa will return in an even more collaborative format across multiple venues, and work on the archive will continue with Carte in Dimora and the National Day of Historic Houses on 24 May.
Activities for families will continue, and openness towards the productive and business world will grow — always with careful attention to preserving the site’s identity.
In short, Castello di Thiene is not just a beautiful place to visit. It is a cultural project that works, that grows, and that shows how heritage can thrive without closing in on itself.
And in the end, the numbers prove it.