Pedrocchi Café
The café has historical prominence because of its role in the 1848 riots against the Habsburg monarchy, as well as for being an attraction for artists over the last century from the French novelist Stendhal to Lord Byron to the Italian writer Dario Fo.
In 1772 the Francesco Pedrocchi of Bergamo founded a successful "coffee shop" here, near the University, town hall, markets, post office and the square of the Noli (now Piazza Garibaldi), from where coaches left to nearby cities.
In 1826 Antonio Pedrocchi presents to the municipal authorities a project for the construction of a plant, including premises used for roasting coffee, and ice-making.
Japelli collaborated with the engineer Bartolommeo Franceschini and the architect Giuseppe Petrelli, to whom we owe the merger of the balustrades of the terraces with the griffins.
Cappellato spelled out that: It is the solemn obligation and enduring to the city of Padua to preserve in perpetuity over the property, the use of the plant as is found today, seeking to promote and develop all those improvements that will be brought by the progress of time putting Forfeiture An inevitable deterioration was caused by the difficulties caused by the Great War between 1915 and 1924.
After World War II, with the project architect Angelo Pisani that is imposed against that of Carlo Scarpa, never considered by the municipality, started a new restoration that redefined the rooms overlooking the back alley, transformed the alley in a gallery covered with glass block and gets a few shops, a public telephone and a bronze fountain gutting part Offelleria, the restaurateur and demolishing the Billiard.
[1] Its architecture, which blends the neoclassical style in the Venetian Gothic, with references exotic Egyptian and chinoiserie to reflect the romantic atmosphere of the time and the inspiration of the architect Jappelli.
Both the bas-reliefs and the clock over the counter had in 19th century, a symbolic function, it reminded Padua and visitor that this was the “Coffee without doors”, a café that never closed.
[3] The walls opposite the windows you can find the paintings of the two hemispheres of the globe in stereographic projection, with the north at the bottom and using French nomenclature.
These items were deleted by Pisani renovation in 1950, that wanted to create a concert hall space and a work area for the Café.
[5] To the south coffee ending with a loggia supported by Doric columns and flanked by the body of the so-called neo-Gothic "Pedrocchino".
Two lodges in the same style are located on the north side, and in front of these there are four stone lions carved from Petrelli, which mimic those of basalt that adorn the cordoned del Campidoglio in Rome.
Two loggias in the same style are located on the north side, and in front of these there are four stone lions carved by Petrelli, which mimic those of basalt that adorn the Cordonata di Campidoglio in Rome.
He was a friend of Jappelli providing information that could be used in the decorative motif; At the first floor of the building is the Museum of the Risorgimento and the contemporary era.
Because of its central location and proximity to the seat of government the café soon became the cultural and commercial center and meeting place for students, artists, writers and patriots.
[1] It was also the scene of the 1848 student uprisings against the dominant Austrian, as evidenced by the souvenir plates on the wall of white room, and meeting place for writers and artists such Nievo, Fusinato, Stendhal, which even extolled the wonders of eggnog pedrocchiano, D'Annunzio, Eleonora Duse and the futurist Marinetti.
[1] The Fede Group, a leading company in food and beverages, has managed Caffè Pedrocchi since January 2014; the idea is to contribute to the City Council of Padua for the renovation project of the building, respecting the original structure and its historicity.
