Everyone knows that Italy is a special country, exciting, with a rich history and fascinating places. Among them stands Padua - a provincial town, located only 50 km from the world famous Venice, numbering a little more than two hundred thousand inhabitants. Despite this, Padua often becomes a point of visiting many tourists and lovers of shopping in Italy . And it's no accident: it is rich in fascinating cultural and historical monuments, which are worth a look. And if you are interested in what to see in Padua, we hope our review will help you.
Usually a tourist route through the ancient city, founded in the VI. BC, begins with the central square of Prato della Valle, from which follow the medieval streets in the form of outgoing rays. It is in the adjoining neighborhoods that the main cultural treasures of Padua are located.
Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua
This monumental structure began to be built in the 13th century, and was completed in a century. It organically intertwined different architectural styles: a facade in the Venetian style, a Gothic decoration of the building, Byzantine domes. In the decoration of the basilica there are works by Titian, near the building is established the work of Donatello - the equestrian figure of the famous commander Erasmo da Narni.
Chapel of Scrovegni in Padua
The chapel was built in 1300-1303. the donations of the wealthy merchant Enrico Scrovegni. The foundation of the building was the remnants of the ancient Roman arena. Thanks to the use of Giotto's frescoes in the decoration of the church, in Padua this building is one of the most visited today. By the way, this cultural monument often appears under a different name - the Capella del Arena in Padua.
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Bo Palace in Padua
The building is famous mainly because from the end of the XV century. here was the Padua University, in which the scholar Galileo Galilei taught. Tourists are shown an unusual form of anatomical theater, as well as those three thousand coats of arms on the walls of the main audience, left by students and teachers after the completion of their studies or work.
Cafe of Pedrocca in Padua
This exquisite cafe is considered one of the largest in Europe. It was built in 1831 in a neoclassical architectural style using elements of Gothic. In the cafe there are 10 rooms, each of which is decorated in a characteristic style, which later gave the name ("Greek", "Roman", "Egyptian"). By the way, since the beginning of the XIX century. this institution was the meeting place of famous cultural figures, for example, Byron, Stendhal, and others.
Area of Prato della Valle in Padua
The area is considered one of the largest and most majestic in Europe, since it has 90 thousand square meters. It is known for its unusual layout: in the central part there is a water channel in the shape of an ellipse with a small island in the middle. The square is decorated with a double row of graceful statues and four romantic bridges, as well as a fountain on the islet.
Palazzo della Ragione in Padua
The building was built in the second half of the 12th century for the meetings of the city court. Inside the palace there is a huge hall of rectangular shape, the walls of which were first decorated with Giotto's frescoes, and then, after their destruction in the fire, the works of Nicolo Mireto and Stefano Ferrara. In this hall today there are exhibitions, and at the lower level there are rows of the food market.
Botanical Garden in Padua
One of the most ancient cities in Italy - Padua - also includes the Botanical Garden. It was built in 1545 with the aim of cultivating medicinal plants for the medical faculty. To date, the Botanical Garden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area of the Garden is about 22 thousand square meters. m, where more than 6 thousand plant species are cultivated. The Botanical Garden is famous for its ancient specimens of ginkgo, magnolias, collections of insectivorous plants and orchids.
In addition, tourists will be interested to see a tropical greenhouse, relax on benches by the fountains among the marble statues.
As you can see, the attractions that Padua has can well be a welcome destination in a journey through magnificent Italy.
