Prince Albert II visits Padua in Italy
© Prince's Palace / Axel Bastello
The Sovereign visited this charming town in Veneto on Monday 27 February for a scientific and cultural visit with a view to establishing partnerships.
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Located in northern Italy, Padua is best known for its St. Anthony Basilica, its Byzantine domes, its elegant arcades and cafés, and its university, which will soon celebrate its 800th anniversary. And it was at the headquarters of the university, one of the oldest in the world, that the Prince began his visit.
The Sovereign was able to visit different historical rooms, including the oldest Anatomical Theatre dating from 1594, as well as the “Aula Magna”, the classroom where Galileo taught mathematics. He then took part in a symposium at which work carried out by the university on the theme of sustainable development was presented.
After lunch with Sergio Giordani, Mayor of Padua, Prince Albert II headed for the Botanical Garden, which is managed and maintained by the University. He visited the newly opened Botanical Museum in the “Orto Botanico”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, in the afternoon, the Sovereign went to the famous Basilica of St Anthony in Padua, a monument visited by millions of pilgrims every year.
Future exchanges
The day ended with a visit to the laboratories of the Foundation for Advanced Biomedical Research, V.I.M.M. (Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine) which works closely with the University of Padua. Created in 1996, this foundation brings together more than 230 researchers from all over the world in a wide range of fields such as neurology and neuroscience.
The visit by the Prince will enable exchanges to be set up between the Principality’s entities and the university, as the Sovereign confirmed to Monaco Info: “The University of Padua is both historic and at the cutting edge in different fields, particularly medical and environmental. This opens up very interesting prospects for links with the Principality.”