Directly across the street from our apartment, there was the monument designed by Daniel Libeskind, Memoria e Luce, dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. The monument is built around a piece of twisted beam from the World Trade Center.
In the center of Piazza Mazzini, in a small park area, you will find the Monument to Giuseppe Mazzini, the Italian politician, journalist, and philosopher. The monument dates from 1903.
Across the street, there is the Casa del Mutilato di Guerra, which dates from 1926, and was built at the end of World War I, to provide aid and support to the soldiers returning home to Italy from the war. The building was designed by Renato Fabbrichesi, who was a Professor at the University of Padua, at the time. There are two plaques on the facade of the building: One is inscribed with the speech given by Vittorio Emanuele III, announcing the end of the war, while the other is inscribed with the victory announcement given by Armando Diaz.
If you follow the street that runs along the side of the Casa del Mutilato, after a few minutes, you will arrive at a fence, where there is an entrance to the Giardini della Rotonda. This is a small, lovely park area set within the 16th century city walls. The round structure that one sees in the park is actually the first water tank to be built in the city, and dates from the 1920s. At the time of its construction, it was considered to be one of the best water tanks built in all of Europe.
AltaVita-IRA, l’Istituto di Riposo per Anziani di Padova, provides health care to the elderly of the city. A plaque over one of the doorways celebrates Giulio Lupati, an architect who designed the building.
Along the side of the road, inside a niche, there was a monument to those from the neighborhood, who lost their lives in World War I.
The Torre di Ezzelino is on Via Francesco Petrarca, and dates from 1250. According to legend, the tyrant, Ezzelino, had the tower built using materials taken from the homes that were demolished during his horrifying reign over the city.
Next up: We head to Palazzo Bo, and the University of Padua!
Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear. If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Padua, as well as other Italian destinations. Grazie!