Guidebook for Padova

Welcome To Veneto & Friuli
Welcome To Veneto & Friuli
Guidebook for Padova

Sightseeing

Padua's version of the Sistine Chapel, the Cappella degli Scrovegni houses one of Italy's great Renaissance masterpieces – a striking cycle of Giotto frescoes. Dante, da Vinci and Vasari all honour Giotto as the artist who ended the Dark Ages with these 1303–05 paintings, whose humanistic depiction of biblical figures was especially well suited to the chapel Enrico Scrovegni commissioned in memory of his father (who as a moneylender was denied a Christian burial).
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Kapela Scrovegni
8 Piazza Eremitani
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Padua's version of the Sistine Chapel, the Cappella degli Scrovegni houses one of Italy's great Renaissance masterpieces – a striking cycle of Giotto frescoes. Dante, da Vinci and Vasari all honour Giotto as the artist who ended the Dark Ages with these 1303–05 paintings, whose humanistic depiction of biblical figures was especially well suited to the chapel Enrico Scrovegni commissioned in memory of his father (who as a moneylender was denied a Christian burial).
A pilgrimage site and the burial place of St Anthony of Padua (1193–1231), this huge church was begun in 1232, its polyglot style incorporating rising eastern domes atop a Gothic brick structure crammed with Renaissance treasures. Behind the high altar, nine radiating chapels punctuate a broad ambulatory homing in on the Cappella delle Reliquie (Relics Chapel), where the relics of St Anthony reside.
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Bazilika e Shën Antonit
11 Piazza del Santo
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A pilgrimage site and the burial place of St Anthony of Padua (1193–1231), this huge church was begun in 1232, its polyglot style incorporating rising eastern domes atop a Gothic brick structure crammed with Renaissance treasures. Behind the high altar, nine radiating chapels punctuate a broad ambulatory homing in on the Cappella delle Reliquie (Relics Chapel), where the relics of St Anthony reside.
Ancient Padua can be glimpsed in elegant twin squares (one the fruit market, the other the vegetable market) separated by the triple-decker Gothic Palazzo della Ragione, the city’s tribunal dating from 1218. Inside Il Salone (the Great Hall), frescoes by Giotto acolytes Giusto de’ Menabuoi and Nicolò Miretto depict the astrological theories of Padovan professor Pietro d’Abano, with images representing the months, seasons, saints, animals and noteworthy Paduans (not necessarily in that order).The enormous 15th-century wooden horse at the western end of the hall was modelled on Donatello's majestic bronze Gattamelata, which still stands in Piazza del Santo.
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Palati i Ragione
Piazza delle Erbe
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Ancient Padua can be glimpsed in elegant twin squares (one the fruit market, the other the vegetable market) separated by the triple-decker Gothic Palazzo della Ragione, the city’s tribunal dating from 1218. Inside Il Salone (the Great Hall), frescoes by Giotto acolytes Giusto de’ Menabuoi and Nicolò Miretto depict the astrological theories of Padovan professor Pietro d’Abano, with images representing the months, seasons, saints, animals and noteworthy Paduans (not necessarily in that order).The enormous 15th-century wooden horse at the western end of the hall was modelled on Donatello's majestic bronze Gattamelata, which still stands in Piazza del Santo.
Built from a much-altered design of Michelangelo’s, the rather industrial facade and whitewashed symmetry of Padua's cathedral is a far cry from its rival in Piazza San Marco. Pop in quickly for Giuliano Vangi's contemporary chancel crucifix and sculptures before visiting the adjoining 13th-century baptistry, a Romanesque gem frescoed with luminous biblical scenes by Giusto de’ Menabuoi. Hundreds of saints congregate in the cupola, posed as though for a school graduation photo, exchanging glances and stealing looks at the Madonna.
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Katedralja e Padovës
Piazza Duomo
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Built from a much-altered design of Michelangelo’s, the rather industrial facade and whitewashed symmetry of Padua's cathedral is a far cry from its rival in Piazza San Marco. Pop in quickly for Giuliano Vangi's contemporary chancel crucifix and sculptures before visiting the adjoining 13th-century baptistry, a Romanesque gem frescoed with luminous biblical scenes by Giusto de’ Menabuoi. Hundreds of saints congregate in the cupola, posed as though for a school graduation photo, exchanging glances and stealing looks at the Madonna.

Parks & Nature

At the southern edge of the historical centre, this odd, elliptical garden was long used as a communal sportsground. Today it's a popular spot for locals wanting to soak up some summer rays and students swotting for exams. Framing the space is a slim canal lined by 78 statues of sundry great and good of Paduan history, plus 10 empty pedestals. Ten Venetian doges once occupied them, but Napoleon had them removed after he took Venice in 1797.
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Prato della Valle
Prato della Valle
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At the southern edge of the historical centre, this odd, elliptical garden was long used as a communal sportsground. Today it's a popular spot for locals wanting to soak up some summer rays and students swotting for exams. Framing the space is a slim canal lined by 78 statues of sundry great and good of Paduan history, plus 10 empty pedestals. Ten Venetian doges once occupied them, but Napoleon had them removed after he took Venice in 1797.
Planted in 1545 by Padua University’s medical faculty to study the medicinal properties of rare plants, Padua’s World Heritage–listed Orto Botanico served as a clandestine Resistance meeting headquarters in WWII. The oldest tree is nicknamed ‘Goethe’s palm’; planted in 1585, it was mentioned by the great German writer in his Italienische Reise (Italian Journey). A much more recent addition is the high-tech Garden of Biodiversity, five interconnected greenhouses that recreate different climate zones and explore botanical and environmental themes via multimedia displays.Be aware that even with a PadovaCard, you still have to pay €5 admission.
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Via Orto Botanico
Via Orto Botanico
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Planted in 1545 by Padua University’s medical faculty to study the medicinal properties of rare plants, Padua’s World Heritage–listed Orto Botanico served as a clandestine Resistance meeting headquarters in WWII. The oldest tree is nicknamed ‘Goethe’s palm’; planted in 1585, it was mentioned by the great German writer in his Italienische Reise (Italian Journey). A much more recent addition is the high-tech Garden of Biodiversity, five interconnected greenhouses that recreate different climate zones and explore botanical and environmental themes via multimedia displays.Be aware that even with a PadovaCard, you still have to pay €5 admission.

Arts & Culture

The ground floor of this monastery houses artefacts dating from Padua’s Roman and pre-Roman past including some delicate glass, serviceable Roman surgical instruments and Etruscan bronze figures. Upstairs, a rambling but interesting collection boasts a few notable 14th- to 18th-century works by Bellini, Giorgione, Tintoretto and Veronese. Among the show-stoppers are a monster Brussels tapestry and an 18th-century painting by Georgio Fossati that shows the Prato della Valle when it was still a sportsground.
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Muzeu Eremitani
8 Piazza Eremitani
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The ground floor of this monastery houses artefacts dating from Padua’s Roman and pre-Roman past including some delicate glass, serviceable Roman surgical instruments and Etruscan bronze figures. Upstairs, a rambling but interesting collection boasts a few notable 14th- to 18th-century works by Bellini, Giorgione, Tintoretto and Veronese. Among the show-stoppers are a monster Brussels tapestry and an 18th-century painting by Georgio Fossati that shows the Prato della Valle when it was still a sportsground.
Since 1831, this neoclassical landmark has been a favourite of Stendhal and other pillars of Padua’s cafe society for the heart-poundingly powerful coffee and caffè correto (coffee-based cocktails) served at its ground-floor cafe. The grand 1st floor – decorated in styles ranging from ancient Egyptian to imperial – houses the museum, recounting local and national history from the fall of Venice in 1797 until the republican constitution of 1848 in original documents, images and mementoes.
Museo del Risorgimento e dell'Eta Contemporanea
Piazzetta Cappellato Pedrocchi
Since 1831, this neoclassical landmark has been a favourite of Stendhal and other pillars of Padua’s cafe society for the heart-poundingly powerful coffee and caffè correto (coffee-based cocktails) served at its ground-floor cafe. The grand 1st floor – decorated in styles ranging from ancient Egyptian to imperial – houses the museum, recounting local and national history from the fall of Venice in 1797 until the republican constitution of 1848 in original documents, images and mementoes.

Food Scene

Prime seasonal produce, impeccable wines and near-faultless service meld into one unforgettable whole at this stellar fine-dining restaurant, resplendent with 18th-century antiques and 19th-century oil paintings. Seafood is the forte, with standout dishes including an arresting gran piatto di crudità di mare (raw seafood platter). Dress to impress and book ahead.
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Belle Parti
11 Via Belle Parti
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Prime seasonal produce, impeccable wines and near-faultless service meld into one unforgettable whole at this stellar fine-dining restaurant, resplendent with 18th-century antiques and 19th-century oil paintings. Seafood is the forte, with standout dishes including an arresting gran piatto di crudità di mare (raw seafood platter). Dress to impress and book ahead.
Preserving the long tradition of the university tavern, L'Anfora is perpetually filled with a gesticulating gaggle of students and professors pressing home their points, fuelled by an ample supply of spritz and snacks. On the chalkboard, daily specials feature no-frills cucina casalinga (home cooking), enjoyed at ancient scratched tables as you peruse a learned volume from the book exchange.
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Osteria l'Anfora
13 Via Soncin
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Preserving the long tradition of the university tavern, L'Anfora is perpetually filled with a gesticulating gaggle of students and professors pressing home their points, fuelled by an ample supply of spritz and snacks. On the chalkboard, daily specials feature no-frills cucina casalinga (home cooking), enjoyed at ancient scratched tables as you peruse a learned volume from the book exchange.