We are spending the next two nights in Verona, home of Juliet’s balcony but that’s a different play. On the way to Verona we are stopping in Padua to see the Basilica di Sant’Antonio.
Saint Anthony of Padua (not to be confused with Saint Anthony the Abbot) is a much revered and petitioned Saint. He is buried at this Basilica and his relics and cassock are displayed here. Lots of people are here to ask Saint Anthony to intercede for them and assist them with some woe. It is a pretty amazing, highly decorated place. Here’s a look.
Below are other frescoes about the life of St. James in the chapel. St. James was decpitated by King Herod. After his martyrdom his remains were taken to Compostela, Spain. His shrine the Santiago de Compostela is the most frequently visited place for pilgrims after Rome and Jerusalem. These frescoes appear to have something to do with his death and subsequent removal to Spain.
Relics of St. Anthony
Beautiful Basilica
On the way out of Padua we stop at McDonald’s for a quick lunch and a safe bathroom.
We arrive in Verona and check into our hotel. Plans are made to visit the Coliseum there and go to the Museo Castelvecchio. I am really tired and my back hurts. I make the executive decision to send John and Sarah out on their own. I would be a drag on the party this afternoon. They leave around 3:30 and return around 7. I spend three and a half delicious hours taking a little nap, catching up on my posts, doing crossword puzzles, etc. Our vacation has been full every day and I just need a little down time. (Plus I have been to both these places before.)
I tell John to be judicious in taking photos. He takes a zillion. Here are some of his favorites.
After visiting the Coliseum, John and Sarah go to the Museo Castelvecchio. The Castelvecchio is a medieval castle within the city of Verona. It was the most important military construction of the Scaliger dynasty that ruled Verona in the Middle Ages. It was restored and repurposed as a museum between 1958 and 1974. It houses a great deal of art and sculpture.
These next two Madonnas were painted about 50 years apart. You can see how the style as gone from cartoonish to actually looking like a person.
The next photo is of a sculpture of a smiling Cangrande on his horse. Cangrande was an Italian nobleman who was the sole ruler of Verona from 1311 to 1329. He is best known for being the leading patron of the poet Dante Alighieri. When he was not out conquering Vicenza, Padua, and Trevino, he was known for his joviality.
On the way back from the museum John and Sarah buy some chips and we have a chip and wine party in our room drinking our Pilato Teran for dinner and then everyone has an early night.