baptistery of the cathedral

Knew nothing of Padua until we saw a TV programme showing the amazing frescoes in the Baptistery and decided we had to add it to our itinerary during our time in this part of Italy. The Baptistery should not be missed since the frescoes are mesmerizing and we sat for a considerable amount of time admiring them. Useful tip ... take binoculars to really appreciate the dome.

It is well worth the time and the E3 entry to have a look in here when you are in Padua. The duomo by comparison is very drab and dull so do not be misled! The frescoes are beautiful and interestingly tell almost exactly the same stories as in the better known Scrovegni chapel. This was in fact the only "extra" attraction on the Padua card that we were able to find that was open. We found the tourist info office unhelpful and the city poorly signposted for tourists, apart from the centre piece of the Scrovegni chapel.

Padova may not be known for its baptistery as most people will go to the Cappella degli Scrovegny but the baptistery is also worth a visit. The frescoes of a different style but very rich and fresh.

This centrally located site is hardly worth the 3 euro expense. The art work is mostly faded offering little in the way of explanation.

Padua rivals Ravenna in terms of sheer decoration -- though here the favored art was fresco painting rather than mosaics. Every old building, sacred or profane, bears some sign of having been heavily illustrated at some point in its life. The baptistry started as the private chapel of the city's founding family. The frescoes here, by Giusto de Menabuoi, are less revolutionary than the ones painted by Giotto in the Scrovegni Chapel a generation earlier, but remain stunning nonetheless. Again, full appreciation requires a good pair of binoculars to pick out unusual, even shocking details: a mother stabbing her own child during the Slaughter of the Innocents to prevent his killing by a Roman soldier; a trousered centurion at the Crucifixion preparing to break a thief's legs with an iron rod. Benches are provides to encourage a long sit, and the baptistry remains open in the afternoons when most other attractions are closed. You may find you have the place all to yourself -- a rare gift in tourist-happy Italy.

I suspect many visitors to Padua come to see the Scrovegni Chapel and miss out on this Baptistry outside the Duomo. The ceiling and walls are all covered in murals by Menabuoi, done about 75 years after Giotto's in the Scrovegni. I thought this was a fantastic experience and the ceiling of Christ surrounded by saints is dazzling. Plus, it only cost 3 Euros, there were very few people and you can spend as much time as you like.

After visiting the Scrovegni Chapel, we weren't expecting anything else in Padua to be so special. But the frescoes here, from floor to ceiling, were full of interest - scenes from the Old and New Testaments and of many saints venerated in Padua. The upper cycles are better preserved than the lower ones; you can stay as long as you like, there are places to sit, and the baptistry is open during the lunch break which most other attractions in the centre of Padua are not. Well worth a visit. As with many tourist sights, the price is very reasonable if you're a senior citizen of an EU country; alternatively it's included in the price of a Padova Card.

A good experience, but don't expect the wow factor like you get in the Scriveni. Many of the murals are in poor condition, but you realise how impressive they must have been when first commissioned.

It really is! Intimate yet vast. Colourful and powerful. This peaceful place contains some marvellous frescoes obviously inspired by those of Giotto just down the road.

The Padova Duomo is plain, compared with the Baptistery next to it. Entry to the Baptistery costs €3, and it is open all day, so it is a good place to visit when the other churches are closed for the long lunch period. The frescoes are absolutely stunning, the dome in particular displaying a vision of heaven beaming down on whatever babe below is being welcomed into the fold of Christianity. If you have any problems with your back or neck, there are chairs provided, but it would be wonderful if they could fit some mirrors so that people with physical difficulties could enjoy the spectacle that the dome provides.

This is a gem, all covered with mediaeval frescoes, and well worth the entrance fee. It is a bit off the beaten track, so you have to go looking for it, but do go if you have the time. Lovely atmospheric square in front, where the children comng out of school play.

Whereas the center of Padua does not seem to have to offer that much, the baptistery is an exception. You don't expect much from the outside, it is not very big either, but take your time to look for all the frescos, and realize that the majority is 600 years old. A great way to look back into the middle ages.Try to find the picture of how they thought the universe looks like.

Off to the side of the Duomo (which has been completely whitewashed inside), you wouldn't necessarily expect such a gorgeous frescoed room - but there it is. Definitely worth a trip.

So unassuming on the outside, so mind-blowing on the inside! We'd been to the Scrovegni Chapel earlier, which is well-publicised and geared up for tourists (rightly-so, it is lovely too), but this was such a surprise - and with hardly anyone else there! Every inch is covered with Menabuoi's frescoes, with little cameos and characters to keep you looking for ages! And with no 15-minute time limit, you can spend as long as you like - and as long as your neck allows! (Tip for the Duomo - provide mirrors!). I was truly blown away!We visited the Duomo later on, when it opened, and it was plain and with very little of interest - they obviously saved it all for next door!

The Baptistry attached to the Duomo in Padova is a well spent several Euros. The walls and dome were frescoed by Giusto Menaboui about 50 years after Giotto and one can see the progression in technique over that time. It also gives a sense of the difference between Giotto, more a creature of the Florentine renaissance and Menaboui who is from Veneto. The brilliance of Venetian painting really came a bit later. But these frescoes are beautifully done with the usual interesting treatment of hell as a result of the Last Judgment. It is not a long visit--30 minutes will suffice unless you really intend to focus on the details. The Duomo next door has a few interesting Renaissance pieces but an uninspiring contemporary high altar and is otherwise sort of a big baroque barn. It is, however, quiet, unlike San Antonio, which is busy with tourists and pilgrims. Especially on a hot day this would be a wonderful place to cool off, give your eyes a rest and recover.