Province of Padua

Province of Padua
Province
Palazzo Santo Stefano, the provincial seat.
Map highlighting the location of the province of Padua in Italy
Country	Italy
Region	Veneto
Capital(s)	Padua
Comuni	104
Government
• President	Enoch Soranzo
Area
• Total	2,142 km2 (827 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2014)
• Total	938,396
• Density	440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	35010-35032, 35034-35038, 35040-35048
Telephone prefix	049, 0425, 0429
Vehicle registration	PD
ISTAT	028

The Province of Padua (Provincia di Padova) is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Padua.

It has an area of 2,142 km², and a total population of 940,090 (2012) making it the most populated province of Veneto. There are 104 comuni in the province.

The territory is usually divided in the capital city, Padua, and its hinterland, formed by the nearby municipalities; the Alta Pianura (higher plain), north of the city; the Bassa Pianura (lower plain), south of the city, including the Saccisica in the south-east; and the Colli Euganei (Euganei hills) south-west of the city. The Euganei hills are the only heights of the entire province, the other parts being totally plain.

The borders of the province are almost the same from the Medieval commune, with just some adjustment in the north-east. The territory was administered within these boundaries since the time of the Republic of Venice, but the modern province comes directly from the administrative divisions of Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. The Diocese of Padua covers the most part of the province, out of a main part of Alta Pianura; instead it includes areas from the surrounding provinces.

The province of Padua is rich in touristic sites. Padua is home of some masterpieces from Medieval and Renaissance art and architecture, while the towns of Cittadella and Montagnana are famous for the well preserved Medieval city walls. There are many ancient and beautiful villas in the countryside, a few of them from Palladio, the main ones being Villa Contarini (in Piazzola sul Brenta) and Villa Barbarigo (in Valsanzibio). The Euganei hills offer a relaxing naturalistic site, often covered in woods, while at their eastern slopes there are many ancient spa sites: the Terme Euganee, as Abano Terme, Montegrotto Terme, Galzignano Terme, Battaglia Terme. There is a small part of the Venetian Lagoon lying inside the province, the Valle Millecampi ("one-thousand-fields valley"); and also the river landscapes of the countryside include naturalistic routes, even for cycling or horse-riding. Travelling by boat is possible as well.