On our third day in Padua, our first stop was the Musei Civici di Padova, in Palazzo Zuckermann.  This civic museum complex is housed in the palace built by the industrialist, Enrico Zuckermann, who founded Zedapa, a  company that manufactured buttons and small metal objects.  The palace was designed by the architect, Filippo Arosio, and dates from 1912.  Today, the palace is home to two civic museums: the Museum of Medieval and Modern Art, as well as the Bottacin Museum.

The Museum of Applied and Decorative Arts displays ceramics, glass, silver, ivory, jewelry, textiles, furniture, and other artifacts from the Middle Ages to the middle of the 19th century.

The museum complex is set on three floors of the palace, and I highly recommend taking the time to enjoy all there is to offer.

Nearby, in Piazzetta Sartori, behind some modern office buildings, you will find the Monumento al Marinai d’Italia, or the Monument to the Sailors of Italia.  The monument is the work of the Paduan sculptor, Giampaolo Menegazzo, and dates from 1990.

In Piazza Francesco Petrarca, you will find the Monumento a Petrarca, or the Monument to Petrarch, who spent the last few years of his life in this area.  The monument dates from 1874, and is the work of the sculptor, Luigi Ceccon.

Directly in front of the Monument to Petrarch, you will find the Scoletta del Carmine.  This small chapel was home to the Confraternity of Santa Maria del Monte Carmelo, which was one of the oldest confraternities in the city.  The space was covered with frescoes in the 16th century, by the Paduan painters, Giulio Campagnola, Domenico Campagnola, and Girolamo Tessari.  The frescoes depict scenes from the life of Mary.  If you are in the area, and the scoletta is open, do yourself a favor, and go inside.  Admission is free, and so worth the ten or fifteen minutes you might spend there.

 

Next up: We admire the Basilica del Carmine, the Chiesa del Beato Antonio Pellegrino, the Teatro Maddalene, and much more in 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!