Prato della Valle is one of the biggest squares in Europe (about 90,000 mq). Andrea Memmo, administrator of the Serenissima in Padua in 1775, transformed, in a very short time, the center of Prato della Valle from an unhealthy swamp into a place of markets, shows, meetings and strolling.
The 78 statues that adorn the base’s elliptical perimeter surrounding the Isola Memmia celebrate famous people who were born or lived in Padua, many of which are still popular, like the mythical founder of the city, Antenor, the poet Torquato Tasso, or the scientist Galileo Galilei. It’s important to admire the gallery of buildings surrounding the square, the monumental bulk of the Basilica of St. Giustina, the noble buildings and the series of houses put together from different eras.
