Santa Giustina is one of the most significant cathedrals not only for Padua but for the whole of Italy. There the relics of several saints are kept: Saint Prosdocimus, Justina of Padua and Luke the Evangelist. That is why the Abbey is a center of Christians pilgrimage.
The Cathedral was built in the 6th century on a tomb of a martyr Justina of Padua and had several restorations. The modern look it got at the beginning of the 17th century. Overall, it was on the reconstruction for 100 years. That is why the basilica has two different styles: Renaissance (the main one) and Byzantine.
Surprisingly, the Catholic cathedral looks like a mosque. It can be explained by a large number of domes and a high bell tower, looking like a minaret. The length of a building is one and a half times more than its width, so from above it has a shape of a Catholic cross.
Besides, the feature of a cathedral is its 7 unique bells, their sound is quite pure. The last bell was formed at the end of the 20th century.
After the restoring of a basilica was done, it became the property of Benedictines. But it was closed again during the Napoleon war. The next time it would be available for visiting only in 100 years – in 1919, but only for a while. During the 2nd World War, it was damaged again. After another reconstruction, it became a state library.
Inside, above the altar-tomb visitors can see the copy of the Madonna of Constantinople soaring in the air with angels. Usually, it impresses tourists a lot