The Augustinian Brothers of the Hermits based in 1256, already had their church and monastery in Padua in 1276 which was destined to become an important spiritual and cultural centre. In 1306 Brother Giovanni degli Eremitani, a monk famous for having built the roof of the Palace of Reason, built the original roof of the church which today can be seen in the reconstruction made after its destruction in the bombing of 1944; which also destroyed part of the frescoes by Guariento in the apse and above all, the Ovetari chapel, frescoed by Andrea Mantegna, N Pizolo, A.Vivarini and G. d'Alemagna: today, the Ascension in the apse, the stories of Saint Christopher on the right wall and the terracotta altar-piece by N Pizolo, can be seen. It is open (summer Mon - Sat 8.15 am - 12.15 pm & 4 - 6 pm, Sun 9.30 am - 12.15 pm & 4 - 6 pm; winter Mon - Sat closes 5.30 pm, Sun closes 5 pm).

The Church of the Eremitani was bombarded and destroyed in the aerial bombing of 1944, together with the frescoes by Mantegna in the Ovetari Chapel, half the apsidal Chapel with Guariento frescoes, made directly after the work in the Carrarese Palace Chapel. The scenes that remain on the left wall depict stories of Saints Philip and Augustine, the Universal Judgement and the stories of Saint James having disappeared, and they are distinguished by accentuated Gothic taste, above all in the drawing of the Planets and of the ages of man in the base.

Back to Explore Padua