It is a period of extraordinary economic and cultural ardour that left an indelible mark
on the town: the Mediaeval City Walls, the great civil and religious buildings, the
foundation of the University (1222), the second in Italy, which attracts masters and
students fro the whole Europe. The art panorama is dominated by the figure of Giotto,
leaving in Padua his masterpiece, the decoration of the Scrovegni Chapel; but the
great Florentine master is followed by Guariento, Altichiero, Giusto de' Menabuoi, who
leave wonderful cycles of frescoes.
The enlightened Seigneury of the Carrara family terminates in 1405: Padua is
incorporated in the mainland dominions of Venice. But the artistic primacy continues
during the first half of the 15th century, thanks to Donatello and Mantegna.
In the 16th century, under the government of the Serene Republic, Padua knows a great
renewal. The town is surrounded by a formidable ring of walls and bulkwards that
establishes the definitive urban shape. New buildings and solemn churches rise up; the
University goes through a period of great splendour: Galilei, amongst other, teaches
here.
The magic scenography of Prato della Valle rounds off, at the end of the 18th
century, the four centuries of Venetian domination. Padua passes to Austria until the
annexation to the Kingdom of Italy (1866).
In spite of the destructions due to wars and of some disrespectful of the environmental
goods interventions, Padua conserves almost uninjured its unique urban structure: a
tangle of narrow streets with arcades and of monumental squares, of humble houses
and of imposing buildings. This compact organism guards many wonderful treasures. To
the clever visitor the task of discovering them.
Palazzo della Ragione. Built in 1218 by the Commune and raised in 1306, in a
daring piece of work, by Fra' Giovanni degli Eremitani, who added the loggias and the
magnificent keel-shaped roof, it was the seat of the City Courts. The upper floor is
occupied by a single hall (81 x 27 m.; 27 m. high), one of the largest hanging halls in the
world, called the Salone.
The walls are entirely frescoed with astrological and religious subjects. The original
decoration, traditionally attributed to Giotto and to his school, was destroyed in a fire in
1420 and remade by Nicolo' Miretto and Stefano da Ferrara (1425-1440).
The hall keeps a huge wooden horse, which was built for a joust in 1466. The
Salone dominates the two large Erbe and Frutta squares, seat of
picturesque and busy daily markets.
Scrovegni Chapel.
It strikes the ancient Roman Amphitheatre (the Arena) and holds, entirely
preserved,
the celebrated frescoes by Giotto
, the most complete cycle produced by the great Florentine painter (1303-1305), on the
greatest monuments of figurative art of all time.
In the nearby Town Museum, fitted out in the former Augustinian Hermits
monastery, one can admire more celebrated works of art dating back to the 14th
century. Amongst them: the Crucifix by Giotto and the Armed Angels painted
on wood by Guariento and a great collection of Venetian paintings from the 14th to the
17th century.
Eremitani Church. Built at the turn of the 13th century, the Augustinian church
has a wonderful wooden ceiling, due to Fra' Giovanni, and many monumental tombs.
Badly damaged by bombing in 1944, it was restored after the war: unfortunately most
of the frescoes that decorated the church were lost. In the Presbytery still survive,
partly recovered, the frescoes by Guariento (1368-1370). In the Ovetari Chapel,
which was entirely frescoed, there remain the Martyre of St. James and the
remnants of the Martyre of St. Christopher, juvenile masterpiece by Andrea
Mantegna (1448-1457).
St. Anthony Basilica.
. Started immediately after the death of the Santo (1231) and completed at the
beginning of the following century, it is an imposing construction in Romanesque-Gothic
style, with eight domes and spires of eastern inspiration. It holds the body of St.
Anthony and is the object of pilgrimages from all over the world.
Among the numberless works of art it keeps, one must point out the frescoes by
Altichiero and Giusto de' Menabuoi (end of the 14th century); the Crucifix, the
statues and the bronze reliefs of the High Altar, superlative work by
Donatello (1444-1448); the Altar of the Saint and the Treasure Chapel. Near
the Basilica rise the St. George Oratory, holding a great cycle of frescoes by
Altichiero (1379-1384) and the School of the Saint, that keeps three famous
frescoes by Titian (1511). In the square stands the bronze equestrian monument to the
Gattamelata.
, Donatello's masterpiece, completed in 1453. Besides the Basilica in the via Cesarotti,
the Loggia and Odeo Cornaro, magnificent work by G.M. Falconetto (1527).
Walls and Gates. The first walls, built during the Commune eve, ran along the
Bacchiglione and the navigable canals, delimiting the ancient Roman "island". There are
only few remnants of them, by which two of the 19 gates:
Altinate Gate
and
Molino Gate.
New stretches of walls built during the Carrara Seigneury, to include the urban spreads
beyond the Roman island and large horticultural lands. The town, due to its strategical
importance, was fortified by the Serene Republic of Venice with new walls, which were
built between 1513 and 1544. The defensive work, about 11 km in length, includes
some twenty formidable bulkwards still well kept.
Particularly interesting from an artistic point of view are
Venice or Portello Gate.
, built in 1519 according to a design by Guglielmo Bergamasco;
S. Giovanni Gate
(1528) and
Savonarola Gate.
(1530), both fine works by G.M. Falconetto.
Bo Palace. This large group of buildings, erected between 1542 and 1601, around
the mediaeval inn of the "Bo" (the Ox), has been rearranged several times and with
modern additions from 1920-1940, is the main seat of the University, founded in
1222.
Particularly interesting are the Old Courtyard (mid 16 century), masterpiece by
Andrea Moroni; the Room of the Forty, with Galilei's chair, who taught in Padua
from 1592 to 1610; the Aula Magna, rich with coats of arms and decorations; the
famous
Anatomy Theatre.
by G. Fabrici d'Acquapendente, the oldest in the world (1594). The other Academic Rooms contain frescoes, curios and old and modern works of art.
Piazza dei Signori. The large square, seat of a picturesque market, is closed to the
western end by the <i>Palazzo del Capitanio (late 16th century), which includes the
old Clock Tower, with the great astronomical clock, conceived by Jacopo Dondi in
1344 and remade at the beginning of the 15th century. The Triumphal Arch is due
to G.M. Falconetto (1532).
At the southern end raises the Loggia della Gran Guardia, which was built in
Lombardesque style according to a design by Annibale Maggi (1496) and completed in
1532 by Falconetto.
Past the Arch, in the wooded Piazza Capitaniato, stands the modern Liviano
building, home of the Arts Faculty, which holds the large hall of the ancient Carrarese
palace (called the Giants Hall) entirely frescoed at the half of the 16th century.
Prato della Valle. The traditional site for fairs and entertainments (underground the remnants of a Roman theatre) was reclaimed in 1775 by Domenico Cerato, by order of Andrea Memmo. It is a square of great scenographic appearance, decorated by a canal with four bridges and by 78 statues of famous men.
St. Justine Basilica. Imposing church built by the Benedictine friars in 16th century, on the site of early places of cult (it keeps the remains of the old early Christian basilica back to the half of the 6th century). The solemn interior contains many fine works of art, of which the Martyre of St. Justine by Veronese (1575).
Botanical Garden. Founded in 1545 as the Simple Garden (medicinal plants) of the Medical Faculty of the University and laid out by A. Moroni, it is the oldest botanical garden with didactic aim in the world. It holds an extremely important collection of rare plants.
Battistero del Duomo.
The Romanesque Baptistery (1075), named after St. John the Baptist, holds the finest
cycles of frescoes painted by the Florentine painter Giusto de' Menabuoi in 1375-
1378.
The cycle begins with the wonderful Paradise and continues with the stories of St. John
the Baptist, the Stories of Mary, the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. Round the
altar in 43 decorative squares are depicted the events prophetically presented by the
Apocalypse of St. John the Evangelist.
The plan is square-shaped, with the high circular drum of the cupola, a small portico
and another cupoletta. It is decorated with arches and pilaster strips.
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