Some would say Padova is unfashionable at least compared to Milan or Venice that is probably not that an unfair a perception.
But the northern Italian city of Padova has two UNESCO World Heritage sites and is where Galileo observed the moons of Jupiter through a homemade telescope.
Located in the Veneto region of Italy, it could be argued that Padova sits behind its neighbors Vicenza and Treviso in terms of elegance. But Padova has its own distinctive charms with architectural ruins, restaurants and museums.
It is also the setting for most of the proceedings in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.
Standing on the Bacciglione River just 29km from the delights of Vicenza, Padova’s agricultural setting is the Venetian Plain (Pianura Veneta). As a seat of learning, it hosts the University of Padova which is one of the oldest in Europe.
The city is incredibly picturesque but mostly characterised by a dense network of arcaded streets that open into large communal piazza’s.
Annexed to Italy in 1866 the city flourished as an important military post during the 20th century. Since the 1960’s numerous industries and a thriving business sector have developed in the surrounding towns.
Perhaps the most distinctive location in Padova is the Prato della Valle (Prà deła Vałe in Venetian) a 90,000 square meter elliptical square. This space is the largest square in Italy and one of the biggest in Europe.
The Prato della Valle is surrounded by a small canal bordered by two rings of stunning marble statues.
In easy proximity of the Prato della Valle (Prà deła Vałe in Venetian) sits the Stadio Silvio Appiani, the one time home of Padova Calcio. The stadium and the square featured regularly during on Gazzetta Football Italia which became the highest rated Saturday morning program in Channel 4’s history.
Founded in 1910 Padova currently play in Serie B, having last been in Serie A in 1996. The team’s official colors are white and red and the club crest is a white and red shield.
The golden years were the late 1950’s when the team were managed by Nereo Rocco and played host to the wing wizardry of Kurt Hamrin.
The 1960’s would see the club in Serie B before going into a serious decline ahead of a 1990’s revival. That revival saw Alex Del Piero start his career at Padova before he was transferred to Juventus.5.
On 6th July 2015 Padova changed its name to Calcio Padova Spa.
While the club now no longer plays games at the Stadio Silvio Appiani the stadium still exists. It is though in no state to host football matches.
These days the club plays at the Euganeo Stadium, the fourth stadium to host the football of Calcio Padova after the Walter Petron; the “Giovanni Monti” and the Silvio Appiani. Unusually for Italy, it is a modern multi-purpose sports facility, planned in the 1980’s and inaugurated in 1994.
Some famous players who have played for Padova include Kurt Hamrin, Walter Zenga, Angelo Di Livio, Alessandro Del Piero, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Demetrio Albertini, Goran Vlaović, Alexi Lalas, and Giuseppe Galderisi.
Many of those who played for the club are immortalized in color within the Appiani Stadium. It is a colorful scene in complete contrast to the crumbling terracing just adjacent.
