Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
burial. (Dante features him by name in his
Inferno
in the seventh circle of hell, all
rivers of boiling blood and Minotaurs, reserved for usurers, sodomites, and sui-
cides). Enrico enlisted Giotto to cover the chapel walls in visual biblical narrative
of the lives of Mary and Jesus, which he did between 1303 and 1306, bringing an
experimental edge to the 38 panels here. His compositions are determinedly
focused on storytelling; notice how the treatment of the space to create perspec-
tive, and the placement of the characters within that space, brings a laser-sharp
focus to the central drama within each frame. Consistently, your eyes are drawn
to the main action through the rhythms, lines, and character details within each
picture.
From the visitor entrance, turn right and head toward the western entrance,
which the Scrovegnis would have used. Interestingly, this is where Giotto chose to
put his frightening fresco of
The Last Judgment,
no doubt intended as a warn-
ing to the living. In the fresco, as fiendishly imaginative and detailed as later
Bosch scenes of hell, you'll witness horrendous tortures administered by hairy
demonic figures, including one large monster that eats and excretes sinners.
Throughout the church, notice Giotto's use of fine coloring—cobalt blues, rich
reds—often in elaborate, exotic combinations. Notice also how, in nearly every
fresco panel, Giotto stages an architectural device that pushes the illusion of per-
spective, and sets off the human figures, which have been endowed with realistic,
detailed facial expressions (an innovation at the time). Pay careful attention to the
panel depicting the Last Supper and you'll notice how Judas's halo is rendered
black, a symbolic pointer to the betrayal (today, it is harder to perceive, as all the
disciples' halos have darkened with time).
As a precautionary measure to prevent the atmospheric contamination of the
frescoes, visits to the chapel are scientifically controlled, and last only 15 minutes
per person. After pre-booking your visit, you'll wait in a video-viewing room for
a quarter-hour air-purification process before being allowed into the chapel.
Saving with the PadovaCard
Save a bundle of euros by purchasing the
PadovaCard,
which will get you
free admission into a wide range of attractions and also save you having
to pay bus fare. Valid for 48 hours, or for the entire weekend if you buy it
on a Friday, the ticket costs
€
14 and covers one adult and one child under
12. In addition to offering savings on entry at most museums, the card
also attracts certain discounts at a number of shops and restaurants, on
certain guided tours, bed-and-breakfast accommodations, and boat trips
along the Brenta. It's a good idea to ask about discounts wherever you go
in town; if you're driving, it also allows free parking in certain lots. The
easiest place to purchase it is at the ticket office in the
Musei Civici
Eremitani
(see below), when you should immediately book your visit to
the Scrovegni Chapel. You can also contact the call center,
Telerete
Nordest
(
%
049-2010020; Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-1pm).
