{"id":5314,"date":"2020-06-02T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.apartmentspadova.it\/the-orto-botanico-botanical-garden-of-padua\/"},"modified":"2021-09-22T19:59:23","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T17:59:23","slug":"the-orto-botanico-botanical-garden-of-padua","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apartmentspadova.it\/en\/the-orto-botanico-botanical-garden-of-padua\/","title":{"rendered":"The Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden) of Padua"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The oldest botanical garden in the world that is still in its original arrangement<\/h2>\n\n

In Padua there is a green oasis to discover: the Botanical Garden. <\/p>\n\n

Founded in 1545, when academics of the University of Padua designed it to allow university students to learn about the plants from which they could extract medicinal properties<\/strong>, they decided to create a garden to grow \u2018simple\u2019 plants<\/em>, that derived directly from nature and that at the time were the primary source of cures. Here\u2019s why the first botanical gardens were named Horti simplicium<\/em>, the Simple Gardens.<\/p>\n\n

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The Botanical Garden in Padua also takes its name from “Hortus Cinctus<\/em>“, because it also contains an impressive circular enclosure, built shortly after it was created<\/strong>. Why was it built? To put a stop to night-time plant thieves<\/strong> that, because of their medicinal value, were also economically valuable.<\/p>\n\n

The layout <\/h2>\n\n

The architectural installation of the Botanical Garden of Padua is evidence of the research into the equilibrium and perfection of form and shapes, which were central values of the Humanist philosophical movement.<\/p>\n\n

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Built around a circular area that represents the world<\/strong>, still to this day it maintains its original design. The plan highlights this geometric shape, and inside it there is a square split into four smaller squares by orthogonal paths,<\/strong> that follow the four cardinal directions. Walking through the cosmological symbolisms and references of the Renaissance culture<\/strong>, through fountains, statues and the ancient trees, reveals the essence of a garden designed to preserve the fascinating ancient link between plants and mankind.<\/p>\n\n

The botanical areas <\/h2>\n\n

Keeping its original design, the garden has been enriched over the years with a growing number of plants from all over the world<\/strong>. Today there are approximately 6000<\/strong>, mainly growing out in the open and labelled with little signs containing the scientific name of the species, the initials of the author that first studied it, the plant family, the place of origin and the date of plantation in the Gardens.<\/p>\n\n