Diocesan Museum of Padua, Religious art museum in Padua, Italy
The Diocesan Museum occupies a Renaissance palace built for the bishop beside Padua Cathedral, with galleries spread across two levels displaying religious artworks and ceremonial objects. The rooms contain paintings, sculptures, textiles, and liturgical items gathered from churches throughout the region.
In the 15th century, Bishop Pietro Barozzi transformed medieval buildings into a modern Renaissance palace with extensive interior renovations. This transformation reflected the growing wealth and importance of the diocese during that period.
The collection reflects religious practices and artistic styles that shaped the local faith community over many centuries. You can see how religious imagery and ceremonial objects evolved alongside the spiritual life of the diocese.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 13:00, then 14:00 to 18:00, with reduced hours on Mondays. You will find it near the cathedral in central Padua, easy to walk to from most parts of the city.
The Salone contains a remarkable series of portraits of Padua's first hundred bishops, all painted by Bartolomeo Montagna. This continuous visual record of church leadership lines the walls and tells a silent story of religious authority passed down through generations.
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