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Padova (Padua)
is one of the most important cities in Veneto either from the art or the
economic point of view.
Born as fishermen's villages in the 4 th century BC, it rapidly grown
becoming one of the most active town of the roman empire.
Only few roman ruins are still present due to the destruction of the
town by Longobard in 602.
Its recovery was very slow. In 12th century Padua became a free Commune
and under the the seigneury of the Carrara Family (1338-1405), it
expanded its domination to a large part of Veneto.
During this period a wide economic and cultural grow took place and left
indelible marks: the foundation of the University, the medieval city
walls, great civil and religious buildings.
The art panorama is dominated by Giotto, Guariento, Altichiero, Giusto
de'Menabuoi, which produced wonderful frescoes.
Padua was incorporated in the dominio of Venice in 1405 but, thanks to
Donatello and Mantegna, its artistic primacy continues until the first
half of 15th century.
Under the government of Serene Republic, Padua reaches a definitive
urban stage and new buildings and churches rise up.
After four centuries of Venetian domination, Padua was under Austrian
empire until 1866, when it annexes to kingdom of Italy.
Padua conserves its unique urban structures: narrow streets with arcades,
monumental squares.
Important
Places From Padova:
Palazzo
della Ragione:
It was built by Commune and in 1306 Fra Giovanni degli Eremitani added
the loggias and the keel-shaped roof to the original building.
The upper floor is called Salone, which is one of the largest suspended
halls in the world (81x 27; 27 m high).
The original decorations of the walls were attributed to Giotto and to
his school, but they were remade by Nicoḷ Miretto and Stefano da
Ferrara after fire in 1420.
From Salone one can see the picturesque daily markets in the two large
Erbe and Frutta squares.
Scrovegni
Chapel: It is famous for
the
frescoes by Giotto,
a complete cycle of the great florentine painter.
Town museum works of art dating back to the 14th century are exposed;
the most important are the Crucifix by Giotto and the Armed Angels by
Guariento.
Eremiti Church:
It was built in the 13th century and it is famous
for the wonderful wooden ceiling, many monumental tombs and frescoes.
Unfortunately most of the frescoes were lost during the last world war.
Some frescoes by Guariento, the Martyre of St. James and the Martyre of
St. Christopher by Mantegna still survive in the presbytery and in
Ovetari Chapel.
St.
Anthony Basilica: Its constructions start
after the death of St. Antonio, called Santo, in 1231 and finished at
beginning of the 14th century.
It's a very big building with eight domes and oriental spires.
Inside the basilica one can see a lot of frescoes by Altichiero and
Giusto de'Menabuoi, statues, the bronze by Donatello, the Altar of the
Saint and the Treasure Chapel.
In front of the basilica there is the bronze equestrian monument to Gattamelata
made by Donatello.
Walls and Gates: There are a lot of remains of walls built during
the Commune eve the Carrara Segneury and the Serene Republic of Venice.
In particular those built during the Serene Republic of Venice built
between 1513 and 1544 are well kept.
From the artistic point to view very interesting are: Venice
or Portello Gate, built in 1519 by Guglielmo
Bergamasco, S.
Giovanni Gate and
Savonarola
Gate, both by G. M. Falconetto.
Bo Palace:
This is the main seat of the University erected
between 1542 and 1601, around the medieval inn of the "Bo" (Ox).
It's formed by a large group building rearranged many times.
Very interesting are the Old Courtyard the Room of the Forty with the
Galileo's chair, which taught in Padua from 1592 to 1610, the Aula Magna
the oldest in the world Anatomy
Theatre by Fabrici d'Acquapendente.
St. Justine Basilica:
This church was built by the Benedictine
friars in 16th century on the remains of the old early Christian
basilica of the half of 6th century. Inside one can see the Martyre of
St. Justine by Veronese (1575).
Baptistery Cathedral:
It takes it name from St. John
the Baptist and it's a Romanesque building (1075) and inside one can see
the final cycles of frescoes by Giusto de'Menabuoi.
The plain is square-shaped, with the high circular drum of the cupola, a
small portico and another cupoletta. It's decorated with arches and
pilaster strips.
Botanical Garden:
It's a older botanical Garden with didactic aim,
founded in 1545 by the Medical Faculty of the University and laid out by
A. Moroni. There is a very important collection of rare plants.
Prato
della Valle: It's a very big square with
at centre a circular canal with four bridges and decorated by 78 statues
of famous men.
It was reclaimed in 1775 by Domenico Cerato by order of Andrea Memmo.
Piazza dei Signori:
In this square there is Palazzo del Capitanio
(16th century) with the old Clock Tower by Jacopo Dondi (1354) and
remade in the 15th century. On the left of this building there is the
Loggia della Gran Guardia built in Lombardesque stile following a design
by Annibale Maggi and finished in 1532 by Falconetto.
The Triumphal Arch due to G. M. Falconetto separate Piazza dei Signori
from Piazza Capitaniato where there is the modern Liviano Building which
holds the Giant Hall, the large hall of the ancient, with frescoes of
16th century.
From: CNR
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Padova History 
