The Villa Rotunda was a residence designed by the architect Palladio in the 1560s. Palladio, who wrote Four Books on Architecture, was greatly inspired by the Roman temple form. He was interested in architectural theory, ideal proportions, and the Classical orders. Similar in form to the Pantheon in Rome, the Villa Rotunda is completely symmetrical, with a projecting portico on each square side and is topped with a hemispherical dome. Palladio’s work went on to inspire architects for centuries, especially in Britain and the United States.