May 22 - New York inaugurated a major exhibition entitled "Wild Medicine Healing Plants Around the World, Featuring the Italian Renaissance Garden" in the New York Botanical Garden, a prestigious cultural institution in the Bronx. The exhibition, which promises to be one of the most significant cultural events of the season, is dedicated to medicinal plants and it features ancient teaching catalogs of medical herbs rarely displayed to the public, another section illustrating their application and, finally, a third part reconstructs for the visitor the Botanical Garden of Padua, the oldest herbal garden in the world. In fact, New York’s Botanical Garden is directly inspired by the Royal Botanical Garden in London, which was in turn designed according to the basic elements of the Padua Garden. The centuries old bond between the University of Padua and the city’s botanical culture was underlined by the Venetian Dean of the University, upon his visit to the New York exhibition and participation in a conference, organized by the Italian Cultural Institute, dedicated to the origins Botanical gardens in the Italian Renaissance.

THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF PADUA

The Botanical Garden of Padua, founded in 1545 by resolution of the Senate of the Venetian Republic, is the oldest university gardens of the world that has preserved over the centuries its original location. Despite some changes in the early 18^th century, the main features scientific and architecture remain unaltered. Its exceptional features are a result of its high scientific interest in terms of experimentation, teaching and collecting herbs, as well as the uniqueness of its architectural model. Over the centuries, this has been of inspiration to other botanical gardens: from Leiden to Lisbon, passing by Uppsala and Bratislava. This unique complex of extraordinary scientific historical, artistic and natural value is situated in the middle of the city center, between the great basilicas of St. Antonio and St. Giustina. Interestingly enough, this small urban space welcomes also the Prato della Valle, the Loggia and the Odeo Cornaro, the Pontecorvo door and the 16^th century city wall, not far from the first University facilities (Palazzo Bo) and the important monuments (Scrovegni Chapel, Palace Reason, the Squares and Baptistry Complex).