Palazzo Bo — Attraction in Padua

This is a fascinating palace in the centre of Padua which has a history that is tightly bound to the University of the city. The construction of the palace was wanted by the Republic of Venice to host students who previously had to find a lodging by themselves with a certain degree of discomfort. The land where the palace is built, used to be a slaughterhouse, which is why the palace is called Bo (as it came from boves, which means bull in latin). Some of the rooms of the palace were dedicated to hosting students, while some others were used for lessons and others as dining rooms. Even Galileo Galilei taught here and the desk from which he spoke is still present and visible on the first floor, before the Aula Galielo. As soon as you enter this place, you will be surrounded by emblems and coats of arms, in an unusual quantity. These were all students with special merits, as well as directors of universities, which were initially students themselves. Some of these young men did not come from noble families and therefore had no coats of arms, which is why some of these emblems are just made up. Inside the palace is the most ancient, stable theatre in the world, which is called the Teatro Anatomico, where are autopsies used to be performed. Now it is possible to see it, from the bottom, only due to...

This Renaissance palazzo (mansion) is the seat of Padua’s history-making university. Founded by renegade scholars from Bologna seeking greater intellectual freedom, the university has employed some of Italy’s greatest and most controversial thinkers, including Copernicus, Galileo, Casanova and the world’s first female doctor of philosophy, Eleonora Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia (her statue graces the stairs). Admission is on a 45-minute guided tour only, which includes a visit to the world’s first anatomy theatre and the Aula Magna (Great Hall) where Galileo lectured. Today, Palazzo Bo is home to the Rector’s offices, libraries, and the halls used for ceremonies and the discussion of dissertations. They blend the historic buildings with Rationalist renovations and modifications made by Italy's great rationalist architect, Gio Ponti, in the 1930s and '40s. During the renovation, Ponti called on artists, such as Campigli, Pendini and Severini, to fresco the Rector’s offices, while at the entrance to the New Courtyard stands Arturo Martini's statue of Palinurus, which is dedicated to the partisan Masaccio and commemorates the Italian...

The “Ox Inn” converted in 1494 to become eventually Padua University. The old court, one of the finest buildings of the renaissance began in 1546 with Doric columns in the lower and Ionic in the upper decorated with original crests. Galileo taught (1592-1610) in the great hall which is dedicated to his memory and where current honorary degrees are presented. The anatomy theatre (1594) is the earliest permanent anatomy theatre in the world. The theatre has an inverted cone and elliptical ground plan with 6 layers of seating and last used in 1872. Elena L. C. Piscopia, in 1678, became the first woman in the world to graduate from a university and received her degree in philosophy at Pudua. This historic university is a great value visit. Do take a guided tour to learn about the history and to have access to the...