The medal celebrating the 800th anniversary of the University of Padua was presented on 23 April 2022.

The winning design was sketched by Arianna Paccagnella, a student at Padua’s Liceo Artistico Pietro Selvatico, among 33 sketches submitted by students as part of the XI Edition of the premio Antenore Città di Padova organized by the Circolo Numismatico Patavino.

Students from the University of Padua’s Department of Cultural Heritage: Archaeology, History of Art, Cinema and Music evaluated the submitted sketches.

Medalist Loredana Pancotto, from the School of Medal Art of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, modelled the plaster casts of the commemorative medal and presented it at the award ceremony. The medal was minted by the Picchiani & Barlacchi workshop in Florence.

The version presented was cast in bronze and measures 60 mm in diameter. The arched lines along the top and bottom right of the front reflect the curvature of Padua’s historic Anatomical Theatre and are inscribed with the University’s motto UNIVERSA UNIVERSIS PATAVINA LIBERTAS. The front left side features a laurel branch, representing the high honours traditionally worn in Italy during graduation ceremonies.

The reverse side shows elements of the inscribed squares found within the circular central plot of Padua’s Botanical Garden, set apart by the founding date and celebratory anniversary 1222-2022. As patrons of the commemorative medal, the logos of the Rotary Club -Padua Est and the Circolo Numismatico Patavino are embossed on the top right and bottom left, respectively.

The initiative was made possible by the support of the University of Padua, the Department of Cultural Heritage: Archaeology, History of Art, Cinema and Music, the Study Centre for the History of the University of Padua, and the generosity of The Rotary Club – Padova Est.