J o u r n e y s: Padua (or Padova)

I had a long list of Renaissance art that I wanted to see on this trip. I actually got to most of them. One of the biggest stretches was the Scrovengi Chapel in Padua. It was quite a ride, and really, I spent €70 to take the train up to spend 20 minutes inside. It was a bit much.

But oh, it was amazing.

The frescoes start about two feet about my head and cover all four walls of the chapel, reaching high up to the heavens. Most of them are in remarkable condition given that they're from the 1200s! The colors were bold, the expressions were clear on all of the figures faces, and it was easy to see how Giotto was considered the Father of the Renaissance just from being in the room.

Since you can't take photos inside, here is their official image:


"The Scrovengi Chapel", Padova Terme Eugane Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2014.

For scale, my head came half-way up the square panels at the bottom. Everything on the walls is paint.

Padua itself was a lovely little city, nothing at all Shakespeare-esque but perfectly beautiful in its own right. High end shopping streets gave way to pretty squares with trees and churches. There were a lot of students but not a lot of tour groups. That's the kinds of crowds I can handle. I loved walking around, and loved even more sitting in the park next to the chapel. Within sight were Roman ruins, big beautiful trees, and of course the medieval chapel. There was shade, and a breeze, and green, things that I haven't seen much of in Florence this month.

The only downside of the day was the two hour delay on the train getting there. Luckily I made my reservation and skipping lunch just meant I got gelato twice that day. Who can complain, really?