Last updated on .

After exploring most of the historic city center of Padua, Italy, we headed to Piazza del Santo to see the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. The piazza and the buildings around it are included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Padua’s 14th century fresco cycles.

 

Via del Santo

To get there, we walked down Via del Santo past several historic buildings.

Via del Santo in Padua, Italy
Via del Santo
Via del Santo in Padua, Italy
Via del Santo

 

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua

Once we reached Piazza del Santo, we were able to get a glimpse of the massive Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua (Basilica di Sant’Antonio di Padova). It was built between 1232 and 1310 and holds the relics of Saint Anthony of Padua (1195-1231). The church has been expanded several times over the years.

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua in Padua, Italy
Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua

We visited the interior of the church and saw some gorgeous works of art. It’s open year-round but photography is prohibited inside. There are also a few museums in the church showcasing ecclesiastical art and the life of Saint Anthony.

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua in Padua, Italy
Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua

 

Oratory of Saint George and Scoletta del Santo

To the right of the church are two more important buildings to visit. On the left is the Oratory of Saint George (Oratorio di San Giorgio) and on the right is the Scoletta del Santo. You can visit both buildings on a combined ticket including the Basilica museums for €7 (as of August 2024).

Buildings next to the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua in Padua, Italy
Buildings next to the basilica basilica

The Oratory of Saint George is an active chapel featuring frescoes by Altichiero da Zevio (1330-1390) and Jacopo d’Avanzi (c. 1350s-1416) painted between 1379 and 1384. The frescoes were whitewashed during the Napoleonic Wars and rediscovered in 1837, therefore many are damaged. The chapel itself was completed in 1377.

Oratory of Saint George in Padua, Italy
Oratory of Saint George

Next door is the Scoletta del Santo, which is a church built for the Confraternity of Saint Anthony (Arciconfraternita di Sant’Antonio) between 1427 and 1431. In 1504, the building was expanded to add a meeting room above the church. Inside are frescoes painted by Titian (1488-1576) between 1510 and 1511.

Scoletta del Santo in Padua, Italy
Scoletta del Santo

In between the two buildings is a smaller building built in 1736 by Giovanni Gloria. It links the Oratory of Saint George to the Scoletta del Santo.

Building connecting the Oratory of Saint George to the Scoletta del Santo in Padua, Italy
Building connecting the Oratory of Saint George to the Scoletta del Santo

 

Civic Museum to the Saint

Just to the right of the Scoletta del Santo is the Civic Museum to the Saint (Museo Civico al Santo), built between 1870 and 1880. It used to hold the civic museums now located at the Eremitani Church (Chiesa degli Eremitani). The building is now used for temporary exhibitions.

Civic Museum to the Saint in Padua, Italy
Civic Museum to the Saint

 

Around the Piazza

Lining the rest of Piazza del Santo are historic buildings with restaurants and cafés. In the center you can find booths selling religious items and the Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata. The statue was made by Donatello (1386-1466) in 1453 and depicts Italian military leader Erasmo da Narni (1370-1443), better known as Gattamelata.

Piazza del Santo in Padua, Italy
Piazza del Santo
Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata in Padua, Italy
Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

Write A Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Jump To