Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Order a flight of infused ya dong shots.
Tep Bar
Thai-Chinese makes up Bangkok’s largest diaspora.
Nai Ek Roll Noodle
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
7 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
7 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
8 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
9 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Padua Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater

Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater

The world's oldest surviving anatomical theater, where "the dead are pleased to help the living."

Padua, Italy

Added By
Allison Meier
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater   Kalibos/Wikimedia
Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater   Kalibos/Wikimedia
1654 illustration of the anatomical theater   Wikimedia
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Constructed in 1594 by Girolamo Fabricius Acquapendente, the anatomical theater at the University of Padua's Palazzo del Bo is the oldest surviving dissection arena in the world. This 16th-century inscription still remains visible: "Hic locus ubi mors east gaudet succurrere vitae," or "This is a place where the dead are pleased to help the living." A room alongside the theater displays historic surgical tools. 

The elliptical-shaped theater has six tiers carved from walnut with space for 300. Each bears down on the other so that students would have had a good view of the dissection table which is still in place, where dissections were performed on cadavers until 1872.

The famed anatomist Andreas Vesalius was a professor at the University of Padua from 1537-1543, and wrote his revolutionary text, De corporis humani fabrica during that time. He died in 1564, thirty years before the permanent theater was built. He used temporary theaters erected for public dissections and then taken down. 

In addition to the architectural masterpiece of the anatomical theater, the Palazzo del Bo itself is a stunning place to visit. One of the oldest universities in Europe, it is overflowing with history, and you can find relics from its greatest lecturer — Galileo. His chair and lectern remain preserved in place. 

Related Tags

Anatomical Theaters Universities Medicine

Know Before You Go

Accessible by guided tour only.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Allison

Edited By

Martin, rblumen2

  • Martin
  • rblumen2

Published

May 18, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.unipd.it/en/university/cultural-heritage-0/palazzo-bo-and-anatomical-theatre
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22581496
  • http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/scua/bai/martin_padua.htm
  • Andreas Vesalius of Brussels C.D. O'Malley U. California Press 1964
Palazzo del Bo Anatomical Theater
University of Padua
Palazzo del Bo
Padua, 35121
Italy
45.406517, 11.877138
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Tomb of Antenor

Padua, Italy

miles away

Pietra del Vituperio (Stone of Shame)

Padua, Italy

miles away

Capital Without Column

Padua, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Padua

Padua

Italy

Places 13

Nearby Places

Tomb of Antenor

Padua, Italy

miles away

Pietra del Vituperio (Stone of Shame)

Padua, Italy

miles away

Capital Without Column

Padua, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Padua

Padua

Italy

Places 13

Related Stories and Lists

20 Cinematic Spots in Italy Worthy of a Fellini Film

List

By Winnie Lee

The Most Beautiful Anatomical Theaters

medical museums

By Allison Meier

Related Places

  • Berlin, Germany

    Tieranatomisches Theater

    Berlin's oldest surviving academic architecture hosted decades of animal dissections.

  • The Anatomical Theatre of Archiginnasio

    Bologna, Italy

    Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio

    In the world's oldest university is a stunning 17th century anatomical theater carved from spruce.

  • Leiden, Netherlands

    Anatomisch Museum Leiden

    Some of the specimens on display at the Leiden University Medical Center have been helping educate physicians since the 17th century.

  • Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Aletta Henrïette Jacobs

    This plaque marks the former home of one of the first women physicians in the Netherlands.

  • Porto, Portugal

    Museum of the Central Hospital of Porto

    When this former hospital pharmacy closed in 2013 it already looked like a museum, so they turned it into one.

  • Donor Memorial.

    Birmingham, Alabama

    Donor Memorial

    This little-known memorial honors those who have donated their bodies to medical training.

  • The Gilded vectors of disease facade.

    London, England

    London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Vectors of Disease Frieze

    The Art Deco artwork depicts gilded carriers of deadly illnesses.

  • Musée Eudore-Dubeau

    Montreal, Québec

    Musée Eudore Dubeau

    The only museum about the history of dentistry in Canada.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.