padua is one of the oldest and most dynamic italian cities. founded more than 3,000 years ago along a curve of the river brenta, today it is modern and cosmopolitan, and rather well-known for its historic and glorious university and for innumerable art masterpieces diffused throughout the city.
the best way to see padua's historic center is on foot, strolling its porticoed roads, splendid piazzas and ancient bridges.
its piazzas are the perfect departure point, particularly piazza delle erbe and piazza dei frutti, for centuries a daily produce market that is a cross section of citizen life and commerce, as well as the idea venue for seeing and socializing.
overlooking the two piazzas is one of padua's several symbolic monuments, palazzo della ragione, also referred to as the 'salone,? a unique work within its genre. it features a series of typical shops on the ground floor, while on its upper level is a hall decorated with an astrological cycle. close by is piazza dei signori, an elegant piazza with renaissance touches, circumscribed by famous monuments including the church of san clemente, palazzo del capitanio, and the imposing tower adorned with its famous astrological clock. designed in the 1300s, the clock marks the hours and minutes, in addition to month, day, moon phases and the astrological place. also quite nearby is piazza del duomo, dominated by the majestic cathedral and and by the ancient st. john's baptistry. the baptistry is decorated by a fantastic fresco cycle by giusto de? menabuoi. next to the duomo rises palazzo vescovile, made seat of the diocesan museum in 2000: inside are magnificent artworks and the impressive bishops? hall.
another of padua's symbols is caffè pedrocchi built in the early 1800s. commissioned by antonio pedrocchi and designed by the architect giuseppe jappelli, it is still today a beloved paduan locale, and plays host to important cultural exhibits and events. the caffe faces palazzo bo, main office of the prestigious università di padova. the university is the second oldest in italy, and as a place of excellence in the sciences and culture, it boasts galileo galilei among its esteemed past professors. not only, but the oldest intact anatomic theatre in the world ? that can still be visited ? resides here. yet, certaily no visit to padua is complete without taking the time to admire the renowned scrovegni chapel, one of giotto's absolute masterpieces (if not the masterpiece; giotto reached his peak with this fresco cycle.
the lovely piazza del santo, with donatello's equestrian statue at the center dedicated to gattamelata, hosts a grand monumental work dedicated to one of the most venerated saints in the world: st. anthony, via the basilica di sant?antonio. it is a harmonic equilibrium of romanesque, gothic, byzantine, and moorish styles; the interiors are embellished with prestigious paintings and sculptures. on one side of the basilica is the ancient oratorium of st. george, attached to the scoletta del santo with its famous sala priorale, superbly frescoed by the big names of its era. in the vicinity is the oldest botanical garden in the world, a unesco world heritage site. founded during the epoch of the venetian republic, it was conceived as a place dedicated to the study and cultivation of medicinal plants. the chiesa degli eremitani (church of the hermits) houses the famous ovetari chapel.
sprinkled over padua are a number of marvelous exemplars of grand cultural and artistic development that have long characterized this territory. mighty medieval castles and ancient abbeys, monasteries, noble residences, historic gardens and benedictine cloisters are some of the province's principal attractions.
the euganian hills are an authentic natural oasis endowed with rich botanical life: over 1,400 plant species (one-sixth of all italian flora). walking along paths inside the euganian hills regional park, visitors can observe this marvelous green legacy, interspersed as it is with vineyards, olive groves, and unique borgoes like arquà petrarca, valsanzibio, luvigliano, and teolo.
