Basilica di Sant'Antonio

Padua's great pilgrimage church, architecturally unlike anything else in Italy

Address Piazza del Santo 11

Padua's great pilgrimage church, known simply as "Il Santo." The basilica was begun in 1232, a year after Anthony's death, and what emerged is architecturally unlike anything else in Italy — a Romanesque base topped with Byzantine domes and Gothic elements, the whole thing bristling with spires and minarets. Inside, the saint's tomb in the Cappella dell'Arca draws a constant stream of pilgrims touching the marble. Donatello's bronze reliefs and crucifix on the high altar are among his finest work. Free entry.

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