Prato della Valle in Padua is the largest square in Italy and
the second in the world, after Red Square in Moscow. Prato della
Valle has roman origins that built here their military bases. In
the Middle Ages, Prato della Valle became the court of a church,
then an open-air theatre for dramas and games, and in the end a
square for the market. In the last centuries, Prato della Valle
have many problems with water because there were a lot of
rivulet. From this, Hence the saying "Lawn without grass,"
because at the time Prato della Valle was a swampy. In XVIII°
century, Andrea Memmo, the governor at that time, decided to
give to Prato della Valle a commercial function and ordered some
changes to resolve the problems with water. Fece costruire an
artificial island that he called Memmia, in honour of its
creator. This island, now as then, is surrounded and adorned by
78 statues of important citizens of Padua.