North of Padua

<< Veneto

The countryside north of Padua is a mostly rural agricultural area dotted with small towns. The main attraction here is the town of Cittadella, located at the northern end of the Province of Padua. Other landmarks include some historic villas and religious sites.

Cittadella

Cittadella is a walled city in the northwestern part of the Province of Padua, sitting between Vicenza and Castelfranco Veneto. It was founded in 1220 as a Paduan military outpost and fortified town in response to the construction of Castelfranco Veneto by the comune of Treviso. Over the centuries it grew to become one of the major centers of the countryside of Veneto, even after losing its strategic importance.

✪ Walls of Cittadella

The medieval walls of Cittadella are among the best preserved of its kind, completely encircling the city center and surrounded by a moat. Most of the walls are the original 13th-century fortifications, with only a small part that was restored more recently, and the entire path on top is walkable. Four large gates allow access to the fortified town and some of the towers host museums and exhibitions on local history.

Piazzola sul Brenta

Piazzola sul Brenta is a town located in the countryside of Veneto, about halfway between Padua and Cittadella, on the shores of the Brenta river. The painter Andrea Mantegna was born in a village nearby, now called Isola Mantegna, in 1431.

Villa Contarini

Piazzola sul Brenta is dominated by Villa Contarini, one of the largest among the many patrician rural palaces of Veneto. The construction of the villa began in 1546 and the main building might have been designed by Andrea Palladio. It was later expanded with the lateral wings during the 17th century. The villa is surrounded by a large park with a lake and various canals, while the internal halls feature luxurious frescoes and artworks.

Camposampiero

Camposampiero is a town located north of Padua, about halfway between this city and Castelfranco Veneto. It is mostly known for being the place where Saint Anthony of Padua died in 1231, after a short stay in the village.

Santuari Antoniani

Just a brief walk away from the central Piazza Castello, the Santuari Antoniani is a religious complex dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua. The Sanctuary of the Vision (Santuario della Visione) is the larger building, with a church and an adjacent monastery. It was erected in the early 20th century but it includes the place where the Saint stayed and had a vision of Christ Child. A short footpath from here leads to the Sanctuary of the Walnut (Santuario del Noce), a 15th-century chapel with later additions and decorated with frescoes. This sanctuary was built in the place where the Saint supposedly preached to the locals while living among the walnut trees. A monastery stands close to this chapel.

Piombino Dese

Piombino Dese is a small town located at the northeastern end of the Province of Padua. Like many other countryside centers in Veneto, this area became a site for patrician rural palaces during the Renaissance.

Villa Cornaro

Villa Cornaro is a patrician villa designed by Andrea Palladio and included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites along other buildings designed by the same architect. Built in the mid 16th century with some later additions, it is one of the finest examples of villa from that period and its internal halls are decorated with many frescoes. Villa Cornaro was described by Palladio in his treatise The Four Books of Architecture, and it influenced the design of villas around the world especially during the 18th century.