The Botanical Garden of the University — known in those days as the ‘Studio’ — of Padua was created in 1545 for the cultivation of medicinal plants, which at the time made up the great majority of “simple natural remedies”, that is to say, medicinal substances deriving directly from the plant kingdom. Indeed for this very reason, the first botanical gardens were also known in Italian as giardini dei semplici, literally ‘gardens of simples’.

Padua was already renowned as a seat of learning where plants were concerned, and especially the sphere of their application in medical science.

Back in the 16th century, there was much uncertainty regarding the identification of medicinal plants described by authoritative physicians of ancient times: mistakes and trickery were all too common, and had serious consequences for public health. With the establishment of a horto medicinale, advocated not least by Francesco Bonafede (1474-1558), who held the Lectura Simplicium chair at the time, students would be able to discern more easily between the genuine article and adulterations. To this end, the first “keeper” of the Garden, Luigi Squalermo, known as Anguillara (c. 1512-1570), oversaw the introduction and cultivation of a great many species.

The idea of a layout based on a square inscribed in a circle came probably from the humanist Daniele Barbaro (1514-1570), aided by physician Pietro Noale and architect Andrea Moroni. The geometry and positioning were selected so that the irregular space afforded by the land could be used to optimum advantage.

Over subsequent centuries, changes and embellishments would be made to the original plan, like the addition, in the early 18th century, of four monumental gates to the Hortus cinctus, each flanked by trachyte stone pillars surmounted by decorative stone urns. The circular wall was ennobled by a parapet with elegant balusters and pillarets of white stone, on which urns and busts of illustrious personages were mounted.

Later on, the Botanical Garden was extended to occupy the land outside the circular wall, with the addition of other fountains and arboreta. 

The first half of the 19th century saw the construction of masonry greenhouses — their original structure still visible today — along with a semicircular auditorium known as the “botanical theatre”.

In 1997, the Botanical Garden of Padua was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites (World Heritage List), in recognition of the notable and enduring influence it has had in the area of research down the centuries, and to its pre-eminent role in the exchange of ideas, knowledge, plants and scientific material.

The Biodiversity Garden was created in 2014, following the acquisition of land — around 1.5 hectares — which all but doubled the size of the existing plot. It features greenhouses that make use of the very latest technologies, so as to ensure minimal impact on the environment. The enclosures simulate five of the main biomes on Planet Earth, creating levels of humidity that range from those of tropical rain forests down to those typical of arid zones.

Most recently, February 2023 saw the inauguration of the Botanical Museum, which houses a notable selection of the University’s historic heritage. Exhibits include specimens from botanical collections, among which are items from the historical herbarium, a dispensary, instructive wall charts of the 19th century, and many interactive visitor experiences.