Padova, or Padua, is a city in the northern region of Veneto; it is also the capital of the province of Padua. The city stands on the Bacchiglione River, which lies 40 km west of Venice; in the southern region of the city there is the Euganaean Hills, which are of volcanic origins. There is still some level of geothermal activity in the area, which comes to the surface as hot springs and hot mud.
The most famous site in the city is the Scrovegni Chapel. Inside there is a series of mural paintings, which depicts the life of the Virgin Mary and these were painted by Giotto back in 1305. In order to preserve the paintings there is an air lock vault where people visiting the chapel must wait in for 15 minutes to ensure the temperatures between the outside and inside of the chapel have been stabilised.
The Basilica of Saint Anthony is another high point; the remains of the saint are located within the chapel, along with various works of art by Sansovino and Falconetto. Although it is a cathedral, it is not the city’s main cathedral, but due to the remains of St Anthony it is an important place of pilgrimage for people from all over the world and it is known locally as il Santo.
Donatello’s statue of Venetian general Gattamelata, on horseback, can be found in the square in front of il Santo. It was made in 1453 and was the first life size equestrian bronze cast antiquity.
The Palazzo della Ragione is said to have the largest roof that is unsupported by columns in all of Europe. The Great Hall is 81.5 meters in length and 27 meters in width, with a total height of 24 meters.
The city centre is surrounded by 11km long walls that were built during the 16th century; the smaller inner walls that date back to the 13th century have a few remains along with two gates.
The castle is home to an astronomical observatory known as Specola, which is situated in the castle’s main tower and was converted in 1767 and 1777. Other parts of the castle were used as prisons during the 19th and 20th century and are currently under restoration.
There is also the beautiful Butterfly Arc where you can see a wide range of butterflies that are both local natives and those from further afield. It is a great place to bring the children and to learn about how they breed butterflies and stick insects.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Padova? Then below is a selection of Apartments in Padova and villas in Padova that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
