After breakfast, we began our fourth day in Padua, by heading back over to the park that houses the Musei Civici, as we had timed tickets to see the Cappella degli Scrovegni. We arrived a few minutes early, and so took that opportunity to admire the artwork placed in the park, outside the chapel.
The Cappella degli Scrovegni, or the Scrovegni Chapel, is one of Padua’s main tourist attractions and should not be missed, when in this lovely city! As I mentioned in an earlier post, advance reservations are a must! The chapel dates from 1300, when the nobleman Enrico Scrovegni bought the land, on which the remains of the Roman arena sat, in order to build a family home. He had a chapel built next to the property, and this is what we admire today. Scrovegni commissioned Giotto to decorate the inside of the chapel. The famous artist labored for two years on the project, finishing in 1305. The result of his work is breathtaking in its beauty. The entire surface area, of the walls and the ceiling, are covered with frescoes depicting the prophets, as well as scenes from the life of the Virgin, and of Jesus Christ. You are taken inside in small groups, with a guide, but once you are in the richly decorated space, you are free to admire it on your own for thirty minutes.
On the back wall, you will see Giotto’s vision of the Last Judgment.
The statues on the altar, in the apse, are by Giovanni Pisano.
Nearby, we came upon the Chiesa degli Eremitani, which dates from 1276. The facade was covered with scaffolding at the time of our visit, so we were unable to see what it would normally look like. The church was badly damaged during bombings in World War II, and the upper section of the facade was destroyed. It has since been rebuilt, according to the original plan.
Known simply as the “Eremitani” by the locals, the church is located on Piazza Eremitani. It houses many valuable works of art, along with tombs of many of the city’s most notable citizens, including the cavalier Zanino da Peraga, the humanist Marco Mantova Benavides, Vittoria Accoramboni, and the singer and composer Barbara Strozzi. It is also home to the famous Ovetari Chapel.
The frescoes, on the left side of the apse, are by Guariento, while the crucifix that hangs over the main altar is the work of Nicoletto Semitecolo, and dates from 1367.
Next up: We continue to explore more of beautiful Padua, as we head towards the Basilica di Sant’Antonio!
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!