Padua's ancient artistic and intellectual traditions are reflected in its architecture, the Medieval character of its alleyways, porticos and grand piazzas. The fascinating historic district of the city is centered around the historic complex comprised of the Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza della Frutta and Piazza dei Signori. This is also the site of picturesque markets dominated by Palazzo della Ragione, true heart of the city. One of Europe's largest and most impressive piazzas is nearby, the 16th-century Prato della Valle, comprising a space of 88 square miles, coursed through by a canal with stone bridges, decorated alternately by statues and monumental trees. Padua was given its characteristic orthogonal grounds under the Romans, and it still evident in the northwest section of the historic "old town" district. Later periods saw the tightly-knit net of lanes and covered streets develop around the ancient core which still today characterizes the city. Beneath the porticoed streets which line the major piazzas, are clusters of characteristic, tiny shops and numerous cafés and oldy-worldy osterias with a bounty of tasty treats from the Veneto cusine. The city center is one of the liveliest in northern Italy, thanks to the thousands of students, Italian and others, who gather each evening to fill local eateries and discotheques: the Università di Padua, which offers more than over 40 courses of study, is among the most prestigious in the world. Founded in 1221, it is also among the oldest! The city's most representative monument is a Roman-Gothic basilica. Sant' Antonio is among the most famous sanctuaries in Italy. It was erected between 1232 and the first half of the 1300's to house the tomb of Sant'Antonio da Padua and has been a favorite site for pilgrims for centuries. The mixture of Byzantine, Venetian and Franco-Roman elements in the structures towers and steeples, combined with Arabesque windows and doorways have given Padua a fascinating and unique appearance. Inside, the main altar is adorned by bronzes fashioned by Donatello. Visitors are sure to admire the another Donatello masterpiece located in the small piazza just outside the Basilica: the equestrian salute to Gattamelata, leader of the Repubblica di Venezia. Another remarkable feature is the Cappella degli Scrovegni, one of the greatest masterpieces of Italian painting, decorated nobly with frescoes by Giotto. Completed between 1302 and 1306, the paintings depict episodes from the life of Christ and Maria, the scriptures and the New Testament. Originally, Padua's was a true and proper "river town", with flourishing commercial activity supplemented by converging waterways, including the Brenta. River excursions along the Paduan waterways convey a real sense of the city as it was. Observed from the water, the unusual perspective brings home the striking effect of the ancient city wall, one of the longest in Italy, with its beautiful Renaissance doors and impressive ramparts interrupted by contact with nature normally unthinkable in large urban centers. Padua is the point of departure for the famous excursions along the Brenta River which include a visit to the splendid Villas of Veneto. Places to visit on the outskirts of the city include numerous Medieval castles such as the Este, and picturesque villages hidden in the green folds of the Euganei Hills. Several health resorts are located nearby; the Abano, for example, is one of the oldest thermal complexes in Europe. It was discovered and developed under the Romans, who appreciated its curative powers even 2,000 years ago. Some 80 hotels and pensions support the spa, each with its own thermal baths.