"Restful” is a word not usually used to describe Italian cathedrals, characterized by rococo detailing, but it certainly applies to the Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Padua’s main cathedral. Started in the 16th century on the remains of an earlier medieval church, it is today best known for its whitewashed interior, sometimes controversial art nouveau altar and magnificent attached baptistery. Take refuge in Santa Maria Assunta on a hot day for a cooling and spiritual experience.
Enter the cathedral through the portal in its still unfinished façade, which lends the whole square a sense of being stuck in time. Look down at the modern blue, white and red tiling that gives color to an otherwise sparse space or step into one of the side chapels for the more classic Italianate riot of color and ornamentation. Locate the cenotaph of Renaissance author and poet Petrarch, along with a beautiful Madonna.
Leave the cathedral and proceed to the left, where an understated but spectacular 13th-century baptistery awaits. Identify scenes from Genesis and the life of John the Baptist lining the walls. Look up at the dome, where a hundred saints stand at attention in Giusto de Menabuoi’s vision of paradise. Find the depiction of the cathedral’s previous incarnation in the walls. Proceed outside to the piazza, where charming cafés offer endless opportunities to sit in contemplation of the cathedral and its art.
Find the Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta on the western side of Padua’s Old Town. Walk from the train station in 25 minutes or take a bus in 15 minutes. Drive from the train station in 10 minutes. Be aware that the city has restricted driving zones, so walking and public transportation are likely to be easier than driving.
The cathedral is open to visitors free of charge from Monday to Saturday in the mornings and evenings and all day on Sunday. The baptistery is open to visitors every day for a small charge.
