"If there is any single place that can claim the honor for being the seat of the scientific revolution, it is the university of Padua." – Herbert Butterfield, The Origins of Modern Science, l300-l800" The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe.