Built to honor St. Anthony of Padua who died in 1231, this magnificent basilica with eight domes and two bell towers is one of Italy's most important pilgrimage churches. Donatello's bronze reliefs are the artistic highlights.
The Basilica di Sant'Antonio, known to Paduans simply as 'Il Santo', is one of the most important pilgrimage churches in Italy, raised on the Piazza del Santo in Padua, Veneto, to honour the Franciscan friar and preacher Anthony of Padua, who died there in 1231 and was canonised the following year. Construction began in 1232, the year after his death, and continued into the early fourteenth century, producing a remarkable architectural hybrid: a Romanesque-Gothic body crowned by a cluster of eight Byzantine-style domes and flanked by two slender minaret-like bell towers, an outline that reflects Venetian and eastern Mediterranean influence as much as Italian Gothic. The interior is built around the cult of the saint. In the north transept the Cappella dell'Arca holds Anthony's tomb, surrounded by a series of marble high-relief panels carved by Tullio Lombardo and other Renaissance sculptors and constantly attended by pilgrims who touch the tomb in prayer. The presbytery preserves one of the great ensembles of Italian Renaissance sculpture: the bronze statues and reliefs of the high altar by Donatello, completed around 1450, depicting the Madonna, Paduan saints, and scenes from Anthony's life. The adjoining Treasury Chapel (Cappella delle Reliquie) displays the basilica's most venerated relics, including the saint's preserved tongue and jaw, set in elaborate gilded reliquaries. The complex also encloses cloisters, the Oratory of San Giorgio with fourteenth-century frescoes, and the Scuola del Santo, which contains early works attributed to Titian. On the square outside stands Donatello's bronze equestrian monument to the condottiere Gattamelata, cast in 1453 and celebrated as the first monumental bronze equestrian statue produced since classical antiquity. Continuously maintained as a living place of worship rather than a ticketed museum, the basilica is free to enter, and its art, architecture, and relics together make it both a major monument of medieval and Renaissance Italy and a destination for millions of pilgrims each year.
Why it matters
The basilica holds the tomb and relics of St Anthony of Padua, making it one of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, and its precinct features Donatello's Gattamelata, the first monumental bronze equestrian statue cast since antiquity.
Highlights
- The tomb and relics of St Anthony of Padua in the Cappella dell'Arca
- Donatello's bronze high altar of c. 1450 in the presbytery
- Eight Byzantine-style domes and twin bell towers over a Romanesque-Gothic body
- The Treasury Chapel with the saint's tongue and jaw reliquaries
- Donatello's Gattamelata equestrian monument on the square outside
Tips for visiting
- Entry to the basilica is free, though donations support its upkeep and some side areas may have small charges
- Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, as it is an active place of worship and pilgrimage
- Keep voices low and avoid flash photography near the tomb, where pilgrims are at prayer
- Visit the Treasury Chapel behind the high altar for the saint's relics, easy to miss
- Step outside to see Donatello's Gattamelata before leaving the Piazza del Santo
When to visit
Early mornings outside Mass times are quietest for unhurried viewing. The basilica is busiest around the feast of St Anthony on 13 June, when pilgrim numbers peak.
Accessibility
The main body of the basilica is largely step-free and wheelchair accessible via ramped entrances, though some chapels and the cloisters have thresholds or steps; staff can direct visitors to the easiest routes.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a visit take?
Around an hour is enough to see the tomb, Donatello's altar, the Treasury Chapel, and the cloisters, longer if you join the pilgrim queues at the tomb on a busy feast day.
Can you visit with children?
Yes, the basilica is free and open to families, though children should be helped to keep quiet and respectful around the tomb and during services.
Is it English-language friendly?
Yes. Information panels and leaflets are provided in English, and audio guides and guided tours in English are available for the art and the relics.