Prato della Valle

Name: Crowne Plaza Padova
Address: Via Po, 197, Padova, 35135, Italy
Telephone: +39 0498656511
Price range: $$

One of the largest squares in Europe, as well as the most famous in Padua, Prato della Valle with its striking statues and green grass, is the symbol of our city and a meeting place for all Paduans.

From the shape inspired by the patrician garden so dear to Veneto tradition, this square is adorned with 78 statues depicting famous people of the past: they are the most illustrious citizens of the city, Paduan by birth or adoption. Have fun discovering them all!

The square has always held economic and recreational functions that continue to this day: the large city market, as well as numerous events, take place here throughout the year.

Briefly ...

AddressPrato della Valle, Padova, 35141, Italy

GPS45.398417,11.876529

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Palazzo Bo

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What to see in Padova

The Palazzo del Bo, commonly known as "the Bo", is the historic seat of the University of Padua. The palace, the oldest parts of which date back to the 13th century, was given in 1405 by Francesco da Carrara to a meat merchant, then passed to the use of the Ateneo, which became its definitive owner in 1539 This unusual name is due to the fact that the building was built incorporating an old hotel, the Hospitium Bovis, which displayed an ox skull as a sign. The University of Padua It is impossible not to devote a few lines to the importance of the University of Padua. It is one of the most prestigious in Europe and the second founded in Italy, after Bologna. And it is precisely to the University of Bologna that it has been linked since its origins: the University of Padua was founded in 1222 thanks to the spontaneous transfer to the city of a group of students and professors of law from from Bologna. From its foundation, the University of Padua has professed the ideal of Freedom as the cardinal principle of its raison d'être: it welcomes many foreign students, offers them decent accommodation and grants them loans at low interest rates. , and adopted Latin as the vehicular language so that the courses could be followed by everyone. Note that it was the first university in Europe to accept students of Jewish religion; in fact, it was the only university where professing the Catholic religion was not an entry criterion. Visit the Bo Palace For its historical and architectural value, Palazzo Bo deserves a visit during a stay in Padua. This is a guided tour that includes the Cortile Antico, the Aula Magna, Galileo Galilei's chair in the Sala dei Quaranta, the "anatomical kitchen" and the Teatro Anatomico (the oldest permanent anatomical theater in the world) , the Medicine and Law rooms, and the statue of Elena Cornaro, the first woman to graduate in the world.

La Specola

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La Specola

La Specola Tower is one of the best-known symbols of Padua, but also a very representative monument to the history of the city. A clue is given to us at the entrance, where verses from Abbot Toaldo testify to the radical change in function that the tower has undergone over the centuries: “This tower, which once led to the infernal shadows, today opens, under the auspices of the Venetians, the way to the stars. » The story In medieval times, the Specola Tower was the highest point of the castle built by Ezzelino III da Romano, tyrant of the city from 1237 to 1256, to be the nerve center of the defensive walls of the 13th century city. It is said that inside the Torlonga, the original name of the tower, the worst tortures were inflicted on the sovereign's prisoners. The advent of the Carraresi brought many changes to the city, notably in 1374, with the reconstruction of the castle and its interior and exterior decoration. The tower then assumed a purely military function and it would take a few centuries for it to be definitively transformed. In 1761, the Venetian Senate decreed the creation of an astronomical observatory for the University of Padua, and thus began studies to decide the most appropriate type of structure to house. The existing keep of the ancient Carrarese castle was perfect: located in the center of the city and facing south, that is to say towards the celestial meridian. Father Giuseppe Toaldo followed the project with the architect Domenico Cerato, adding, at the top of the tower, the access room to the observation turrets. The work lasted a good ten years and in 1777, the University inaugurated the new observatory, specula astronomica according to the Latin formulation. The Astronomical Observatory Museum For more than two centuries, the Observatory has carried out studies at an international level and, since 1994, has opened its oldest core, the Specola, to visitors, transforming it into an astronomical museum. The museum route, which includes a guided tour, develops through the rooms used over the centuries by Padua's most famous astronomers. You will have the opportunity to admire ancient instruments up close and discover the history of this fascinating place.

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Le piazze

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Padua, particularly its historic center, is a city teeming with squares, squares and courtyards. Just think of the marvelous setting of Prato della Valle, one of the largest squares in Europe. However, don't be caught off guard: when someone arranges to meet you "in piazza", know that it is a very specific area, namely that located around the Palazzo della Ragione. Here we find what was for centuries the vital center of the city of Padua, between Piazza della Frutta, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori. Piazza della Frutta The Piazza della Frutta, or Fruit Square, is located north of the Palazzo della Ragione. It is a historic place of trade and commerce, according to some since the imperial era, although its current conformation dates back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Eggs, poultry, fish and roast meats were sold there, as well as vegetables and birds. Since the end of the 12th century, the daily fruit and vegetable market (but not only that) has still been held there, with wooden stalls. Piazza delle Erbe Piazza delle Erbe was called “Della Biada” and later “Del Vino” because of the markets held there. Worked iron, vegetables, wheat, legumes and wheat were also traded there. The square was considered a place of exchange for low-value goods and often used for demonstrations and popular festivals. It was, for example, the finishing point of the city's Palio race. The fruit and vegetable market is always held there from Monday to Saturday. Piazza dei Signori While the Piazza delle Erbe was the scene of popular festivals, the noble Piazza dei Signori was the setting for civic celebrations. It owes its name to the Palazzo della Signoria, the palace of the Carraresi, lords of Padua from 1318 to 1405. The square is dominated by the Clock Tower, which dates back to the 16th century, embellished by the famous astronomical clock, one firsts made in Italy.

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Palazzo della Ragione

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Prato della Valle

Briefly ...

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Parco della Musica (aka Parco d’Europa)

Palazzo Bo

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La Specola

Le piazze

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Scrovegni Chapel

Saint Anthony’s Basilica

Palazzo della Ragione

Train Station

Fiera di Padova

Botanical Garden

What to see in Padova

Pedrocchi Café

Musei Civici Eremitani

Museum of Astronomical Observatory of Padua

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Gran Teatro Geox

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