A little square is the gateway to Padova’s centuries-old cathedral, a deceptively large landmark that has a famous baptistery known for its glorious frescoes.
Make your way to the Piazza del Duomo to gain access to a historic and architecturally significant complex of important ecclesiastical buildings. As the street’s name suggests, this is where you will find the entrance to Padova’s Duomo (Cathedral) along with the attached baptistery, famed for the wonderfully well-preserved frescoes throughout its interior.
Stand in the Piazza del Duomo and look at the cathedral. From here, you may underestimate its size and significance. Seen from this angle, the redbrick building is certainly beautiful, but seems quite small and understated. In reality, the building covers a very large area, sprawling out behind its relatively modest façade. Its history is long and remarkable. Originally built in the 4th century, the cathedral was rebuilt twice, in the 12th century and in the 16th century. Michelangelo was commissioned for the project, but he never finished it, with construction continuing until 1754.
The cathedral’s interior is beautiful, but the piazza’s greatest asset is the baptistery next door. Like the cathedral, it looks fairly unassuming when seen from the square. Step inside, however, and be amazed by the frescoes that cover the walls and climb all the way up to the high circular ceiling. Dating from the late 14th century, these incredible paintings remain vivid to this day. They were created by the master artist Giusto de’ Menabuoi and are often considered his finest work.
Spend a long time lingering over the scenes depicted and you will find numerous artistic delights and religious representations. Showing scenes from the Passion of the Christ, the life of St. John the Baptist and the Apocalypse, the 100 frescoes feature a cast of countless figures shown in elaborate detail.
Come to the Piazza del Duomo in the late afternoon to explore the cathedral and baptistery before enjoying an evening meal and cocktails in the pretty square itself. From the main train station, the square is about a 20-minute walk south. The route through the city to the piazza is very picturesque.
