The small town boasts an enormous historical heritage, reflected in the multitude of Padua’s landmarks. It is enough to walk into the center to find yourself in the very heart of ancient history that can truly make your head spin. In such cases, it is recommended to get a guidebook to Padua’s landmarks with names, so you don’t miss anything important. Then you will discover that you are standing on one of the city’s central squares — Piazza della Frutta or Piazza delle Erbe, where a market has been operating for many centuries. By the way, at the end of Piazza delle Erbe there is an area that for a long time was enclosed as the Jewish Ghetto — a closed and guarded territory.
But the first place all tourists hurry to even before buying a map of Padua’s attractions is the Scrovegni Chapel on Piazza Eremitani, built between 1303 and 1305 and decorated with frescoes by Giotto. Not far from there, you can take photos of Padua’s sights near the ruins of the ancient Roman arena, where gladiator fights used to take place.
Any map of Padua with landmarks will lead you to the “café without doors” — the famous Caffè Pedrocchi. Its history began in 1772, when Francesco Pedrocchi opened a coffee workshop here. After his son Antonio inherited the establishment, he turned it into a 24-hour café, which is why it was nicknamed “without doors.” The proximity to the university made this place extremely popular and secured its place in the country’s history. For the revolutionary sentiments of the local youth, Austrian troops stormed the café, and bullet marks on the walls still bear witness to those events.
Speaking of the university, it's also a local landmark. One of the oldest universities in Europe is always on the list of descriptions of places of interest in Padua. It preserves the chair of Galileo Galilei, who taught here in 1592-1618. Also notable is the 16th century anatomical theatre and much more.
Padua’s landmarks will also guide tourists to other iconic sites: the Basilica of Saint Justina from the 6th century, the Basilica of Saint Anthony, which belongs to the Vatican State, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta from the 7th century, and many more. Most of these sights are located on Prato della Valle — the oval and largest square in the city, which acquired its current appearance in the 18th century.
