Padua
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [1]
is the name of an Italian province formerly in Austrian Italy, (See Italy), and of the capital of that province. This city is noted in ecclesiastical history as the seat of several Church councils, of which the most important was held there in the spring of 1350 by cardinal Guy d'Auvergne, legate of pope Clement IV, and which intended to effect the reformation of morals and the general purifying of the Church. Padua, it may be stated here also, is noted as the seat of one of the oldest universities in Europe. It was celebrated as early as 1221. It now supports forty-six professorships, and is attended by about 2000 students. A pretty full account of the ecclesiastical history of Padua the reader will find in Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen-Lexikon, 12:916-920. For the councils, see Labbe, Conc. 11:1918.
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [2]
A walled city of Venetia, 23 m. by rail W. of Venice, has some manufactures of leather and musical-instrument strings, but is chiefly interesting for its artistic treasures; these include the municipal buildings, cathedral, and nearly fifty churches, innumerable pictures and frescoes, and Donatello's famous equestrian statue of Gattamelata; there is also a renowned university, library, museum, and the oldest botanical garden in Europe; after very varied fortunes it was held by Venice 1405-1797, then by Austria till its incorporation in Italy 1866. Livy was a native, as also Andrea Mantegna.
