Padova (Padua)

One guide book says that Padua is slow to charm and that's right! After an uninspiring walk from the train station, we took a room in a old, slightly faded, but much loved hotel, and we began to fall in love with Padua ourselves.

The pieces are all there: University town, delightful piazzas, architecture, and modern transportation. And we skipped one of the main attractions; the Giotti frescoes in Scrovegni's Chapel - we'll see them when we return.

The market is next to the rather striking Palazzo della Ragione.


And later in the day after the market is taken down.


And at night, tables and chairs come out for cafes and restaurants


How about this Facist-style cinema? A nice contrast to the older buildings I think.


Near the University.


A canal.


This modern tram runs on a single rail and has 4 or 5 tires on each side. Here, one enters Prato della Valle, said to be the largest city square in Europe.


The Basilica di Sant'Antonio houses the tomb of St Anthony. Impressive inside and out.


The destruction of the North Chapel of Chiesa Eremitani and its Mantegna frescoes is said to be Italy's greatest loss of art in WWII. The chapel has been completely reconstructed. Most of what you see in this pic are enlarged photos of the original frescoes pasted to the walls and embedded with a few of the original bits and pieces saved from the rubble.


One of the lower panels had been removed before the bombing. Here it is.


The rest of the interior is simple.


The clock tower.