Elena Lucrezia Cornaro

The statue of Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman in the world to have received a

university degree, can be seen at the foot of the stairs when exiting from the loggia on the upper

level. As the daughter of a wealthy Venetian family, Elena was raised by private tutors from a

young age and became extremely cultured. Due to her great devotion to religion, Elena wanted to

receive a degree in Theology but was not granted permission by the bishop of Padua, Gregorio

Barbarigo. She was granted, however, a degree in Philosophy on June 25, 1678. The statue

portraying her was done by Bernando Tabacco, and it comes from the monument erected by her

father in the Basilica of Saint Anthony shortly after his death in 1684. In 1773, the statue was

donated to the University by Caterina Dolfin, a noble Benedictine oblate.