Architettura Tommasi completes the restoration of the Giardini della Rotonda: structural reinforcement and renewed botanical splendor behind Piazza Mazzini. Discover more.
Restoration of the Giardini della Rotonda by Architettura Tommasi
Architettura Tommasi announces the completion of the Giardini della Rotonda restoration after several years of major works. Located in the heart of Padua’s historic centre, just behind Piazza Mazzini, the intervention has rescued an area of extraordinary historical value from neglect and returned an entire urban district to the city, transforming it from a deteriorated zone into a renewed green landmark of excellence.
The project addressed a uniquely complex topography, as the site is elevated and develops alongside the 16th-century city walls and the area adjacent to the Bastione della Gatta.
At the technical core of the intervention was the structural consolidation of the deep perimeter masonry. In particular, the retaining wall supporting the park at a height of four meters above the underlying parking area was fully restored and secured. To reinforce this monumental historic structure down to its foundations, an underground tie-rod system was installed beneath the park level, an invisible intervention designed to ensure maximum stability while preserving the site’s monumental aesthetic integrity.
The Creation of a Carefully Curated Botanical Garden
The overall architectural composition recalls the late-Baroque tradition while incorporating strong classical references. The garden unfolds through a sequence of long, narrow terraces that gradually open towards the end of the site, where the Rotonda water reservoir stands. Built in the 1920s, it was one of the first water storage facilities serving the city of Padua, a striking exposed-brick structure defined by its solid, circular forms.
The restoration has also brought back to life the series of circular basins that form the park’s historic fountains, now fully operational once again and enhanced by a new artistic lighting system. The lighting design was conceived to highlight the textures of the historic materials while simultaneously ensuring safety and accessibility throughout the park.
The entire botanical component of the garden has been reconstructed according to the original 1923 design, with the planting of 55 new species typical of early 20th-century Italian gardens. More than a simple landscape renovation, the intervention has resulted in the creation of a carefully curated botanical garden.
Giardini della Rotonda: a Virtuous Example of Urban Regeneration
Before the restoration, the area behind Piazza Mazzini suffered from severe social and structural degradation despite its central location. Today, thanks in part to the work of Architettura Tommasi, the Giardini della Rotonda stand as a virtuous example of urban regeneration, where the stabilization of the historic walls and the recovery of the 16th-century bastion have breathed new life into the surrounding district, restoring dignity and value to one of Padua’s most significant historic spaces.
Text: Architettura Tommasi
Photos: Marcello Mariana
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