5/5 Asiyah Noemi K. 10 months ago on Google
Among
the
things
to
visit
in
Padua,
the
Basilica
of
Sant'Antonio
cannot
be
missing,
of
great
value
from
a
spiritual
and
artistic
point
of
view.
The
Basilica
of
Saint
Anthony
(Italian:
Basilica
di
Sant'Antonio
da
Padova)
is
the
main
monument
of
Padua,
one
of
the
greatest
masterpieces
of
world
art
and
one
of
the
most
visited
Christian
shrines.This
great
temple
of
Christianity,
which
houses
the
tomb
and
relics
of
the
little
friar
(but
a
great
spiritual
soul)
who
came
from
Lisbon,
makes
Padua
an
important
destination
for
religious
tourism,
attracting
over
6
million
pilgrims
every
year.
This
Magnificent
Basilica
leaves
no
one
indifferent,
both
with
its
dimensions
but
most
importantly
with
its
enchanting
beauty.
The
author
of
this
basilica,
whose
construction
began
in
1232
in
honor
of
Saint
Anthony
of
Padua
who
died
in
Padua
in
1231,
is
unknown.
The
main
part
of
the
basilica
was
completed
at
the
end
of
the
12th
century.
The
basilica
has
imposing
structures
in
the
Romanesque
style,
while
the
entire
apsidal
part,
slender
with
nine
chapels
in
a
semicircle,
belongs
to
the
Gothic
style.
The
temple
was
immediately
the
object
of
attention
and
care
also
by
the
Municipality
of
Padua
which
called
the
most
talented
artists
to
decorate
it,
starting
with
Giotto
who
apparently
worked
for
the
Chapter
of
the
Friars
in
the
current
homonymous
cloister.
The
architect
Camillo
Boito
realized
the
three
bronze
doors
(1895).
The
interior
is
an
ensemble
of
chef
d’oeuvre:
a
Latin
cross
with
three
naves
joined
up
into
a
half
circle
behind
the
grandstand
surrounded
by
nine
radial
chapels.
The
memorials
of
physicians,
warriors,
prelates,
and
intellectuals
mainly
catch
our
attention.
The
most
beautiful
part
of
the
church
is
the
Saint's
Chapel.
It
is
assumed
that
the
architect
of
the
Saint's
Chapel
was
T.
Lombardo.
The
greatest
Renaissance
Venetian
sculptors
worked
on
it.
Along
the
walls
there
are
nine
marble
reliefs
depicting
events
from
the
life
of
St.
Anthony
and
his
miracles,
such
as:
"St.
Antun
resurrects
a
young
man"
(D.
Cattaneo
and
G.
Campagna,
1577),
"Resurrection
of
a
drowned
girl"
(Jakov
Sandovino,
1563),
"St.
Antun
resurrects
a
drowned
child"
(A.
Minello
and
J.
Jansovino,
1534),
"The
newborn
testifies
to
the
mother's
innocence"
(A.
Lombardo,
1505).
In
the
center
stands
the
altar-tomb
of
St.
Anthony,
which
is
the
work
of
Titian
Aspetti
from
the
end
of
the
16th
century,
and
on
the
sides
there
are
two
large
silver
candlesticks
from
the
17th
century.
The
Lady's
Chapel
is
interesting,
because
the
Lady's
Chapel
is
the
remaining
part
of
the
former
church
of
St.
Mary,
which
the
Paduan
bishop
Jakov
donated
to
St.
Anton
in
1229.
There
is
St.
Antun
celebrated
mass,
confessed
and
preached.
He
was
buried
there
and
his
remains
were
kept
there
until
1263.
The
High
Altar
is
one
of
the
most
prestigious
monuments
of
the
cathedral.
It
was
designed
and
created
between
1443
and
1450
by
Donatello,
who
was
as
well
the
author
of
the
gilded
bronze
sculptures
that
adorn
it.
Above
the
Madonna
and
Child,
sitting
on
the
throne
and
surrounded
by
the
statues
of
the
Patron
Saints
of
Padua,
stands
a
large
crucifix.
Donatello
also
realized
the
Deposition
behind
the
Altar.
Instead,
the
majestic
candelabra
with
sacred
and
symbolic
representations
is
a
piece
of
art
created
by
Andrea
Briosco
(1507-1515).
The
deambulatory
overlooks
the
nine
chapels;
the
Major
Chapel,
built
in
baroque
style,
holds
the
so-called
Treasure.
This
Treasure
is
an
ensemble
of
relics,
among
which
the
Saint’s
tongue
and
chin
are
the
most
revered.
The
cloisters
in
the
convent
are
astonishing:
the
Cloister
of
the
Novice,
the
Cloister
of
the
Chapter
or
the
Magnolia,
the
Cloister
of
the
General,
and
the
Cloister
of
the
Antonian
Museum.
The
Antonian
library
is
on
the
upper
floor
of
the
Cloister
of
the
General.
It
was
founded
in
the
XIII
century
and
now
contains
over
85.000
volumes,
including
many
manuscripts,
some
of
which
date
back
to
the
IX-X
centuries.
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