Between the 5th century BC and the 6th century AD, Padua was an important center of the Veneti people, being in turn part of the Roman Republic, and under the domination of the Huns, the Goths and the Lombards. In 899, the city was sacked by the Magyars, and it took a long time to recover after this ravage. Read More [...]
Starting with 1405, Padua passed under the rule of the Republic of Venice and, after the fall of Venice, in 1797, it was ceded to the Austrian Empire. In 1806, Padua became part of the French Kingdom of Italy, until the fall of Napoleon, in 1814, when the city returned to the Austrian Empire. In 1866, Padua was included in the Kingdom of Italy.
GEOGRAPHY: Today, Padua is one of the most important cities in the Veneto region, and the capital of the homonymous province. The city is located about 33 kilometers southeast of Vicenza, 40 kilometers west of Venice, 79 kilometers east of Verona, 125 kilometers north of Bologna, 223 kilometers northeast of Florence, 232 kilometers east of Milan, 325 kilometers northeast of Genoa and 486 kilometers north of Rome.
TRANSPORT: You can get to Padua by plane, arriving at the Marco Polo Airport, in Mestre, at the Antonio Canova Airport, near Treviso, or at the Valerio Catullo Airport, in Verona. The city is accessible by train, being a central railway node in the Veneto region. A train ticket from Venice costs 4.25€ and the trip takes about half an hour, while a ticket from Verona costs 7.30€ and the trip takes almost an hour.
LANDMARKS: Padua is known for its university, founded in 1222, for the oldest botanical garden in the world, opened in 1545, and for being the birthplace of the great Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio.
The main attractions in Padua are the Scrovegni Chapel, known for housing the beautiful fresco cycle by Giotto, Palazzo della Ragione, known for having the largest roof unsupported by columns in Europe, the wonderful squares of Prato della Valle and Piazza dei Signori, the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, the Cathedral of Padua, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, and the beautiful Basilica of Santa Giustina.