Italy has uncovered remains of a Roman public building in Fano that closely match the only known written description of a basilica by the ancient architect Vitruvius. The structure dates back more than 2,000 years and mirrors the dimensions, layout, and proportions detailed in his writings. Archaeologists say this find is a rare physical proof of Vitruvius' ideas, which were mostly known only on paper. The excavation site lies in Fano's historic center, northeast of Rome. Wall foundations and column bases form a rectangular plan exactly as Vitruvius described. Andrea Pessina, regional archaeological superintendent, noted that the building has ten columns on the long sides and four on the short ends. When researchers predicted where a missing column should be, they dug there and found it. Such precise matches between text and remains are very unusual in Roman archaeology. Researchers have been cautious but impressed. Pessina said, "there are few certainties in archaeology, yet the correspondence between text and remains was difficult to dismiss." Mayor Luca Serfilippi called it a discovery scholars had sought for over 500 years. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said it would be discussed for years to come. Vitruvius lived in the first century BC and wrote De architectura, a key text on proportion, symmetry, and construction. His work influenced Renaissance art and architecture, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. Now, this basilica offers a rare chance to compare text with a real ancient building. Only part of the basilica has been dug out so far. Officials will continue excavations to find out how much survives underground and if the site can be safely opened to the public. Conservation in the modern city center remains a concern. For now, the quiet site beneath Fano holds new clues that link ancient theory to real stone, bridging centuries of mystery.