Padova is one of the loveliest cities in Italy and has a wealth of witness to its glorious cultural and artistic past which attracts millions of visitors every year from all over the world. Today it is also an important economic centre and the most important intermodal road, rail and river connections centre in Italy.
The historic heart of the centre is a mixture of various styles: medieval, renaissance and modern which combine to create a unique and fascinating scenario. Handicraft shops and ancient crafts mingle with modern life and constantly growing trade. Padova is a city of culture (artistic and historic sites, museums, cultural events), of science (the important University which is one of the oldest and largest in Europe) and the most important economic centre in the Northeast. The city is also an important religious centre with the relics of St. Anthony, which attract millions of pilgrims from all over the world every year.

The events that are held in the exhibition centre have always held great importance for the city. In fact, the roots of the Padova Exhibition Centre can be traced back to the late medieval period, with the Fairs of San Prosdocimo and Santa Giustina, renowned saints at that time, until St. Anthony arrived in 1232, when the name of the Saint’s Fair was given to it which lasted until 1919, despite the wars. That was the year the Trade Fair began, the largest mixed exhibition in the northeast, which now receives more than 250,000 visitors every year.
The current exhibition centre was inaugurated in 1921. The Padova Exhibition Centre now means professional activities, operators and specialised initiatives, but its history and everyday life are still marked by its adventurous past, the desire to be ahead of the times and to launch new events and try new ways of meeting and working. It became a joint stock company in 2002, the first to do so in Italy and in 2005 PadovaFiere became a private enterprise to all effects.