Prato della Valle

Prato della Valle is the largest square in Italy and the second largest in the world, just after Red Square in Moscow. The piazza boasts Roman origins. The Romans founded the city of Padua indeed and made this square for military training and gatherings. Later, in the Middle Ages, the square became the courtyard of a church, then a big open-air theatre for dramas and games and even a big market. Throughout the centuries the square has had many problems with water, mostly in terms of terrible flows, because of the unlucky geographical position.

In XVIII century Andrea Memmo, a governor, decided to give this square a commercial function and ordered the modifications that solved the problems with water, in particular with the creation of an artificial island, called Memmia from its creator.

The island, surrounded by an elliptical channel, is adorned by 78 statues which portrait all the important citizens of Padua (who had an important past and strong cultural roots). 

The Basilica of St Giustina, surmounted by eight cupolas, overlooks the piazza. The church preserves two ligneous chorus (dated back to the XV and XVI centuries) and an altar-piece by Veronese, representing St Giustina's Martyrdom. From the transept you will access the sacellum of St Prosdocimo, belonging to the ancient sixth-century basilica, with marble iconostases dated back to the VI century. Not far from Prato della Valle is the oldest European Botanical Garden (1545), that collects numerous exotic and local species.