Cittadella Tour

The first foundations of the Cittadella walls date back to the 3rd century when the Romans built the ancient walls along the Roman Via Postumia, an important artery that connected Aquileia with Genoa across the whole of Northern Italy. Then between the 12th and 13th centuries, when the expansionist aims of powerful Padua led it to clash with Treviso and Vicenza, the people of Padua decided to fortify it with a massive defensive wall.

Together we will walk along the walkway of the walls which in the Middle Ages were an insurmountable limit for the militias of every dove. They have an average thickness of 2.10 meters and four access doors corresponding to the four cardinal points, identifications from the city gates: Porta Padovana, Porta Bassanese, Porta Trevisana and Porta Vicentina, which all point to the city from which they take their name. You will enjoy the view of the city from above, just like the soldiers did during the surveillance shift in medieval times.

Once you descend into the centre, step by step, you will then admire the important monuments of the city: the Captain's House, where the Captain of the Guards resided, with original frescoes dating back to the 16th century; the Tower of Malta, of which the terrifying tortures at the time of the tyrant Ezzelino III da Romano are narrated, even mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy; the Praetorian Palace, ancient seat of the Powers of the city of Padua; the Teatro Sociale, whose façade is attributed to the well-known Giuseppe Jappelli and the Cathedral with the Art Gallery, which houses works by Palma il Giovane.