Visiting the Home of a Famous Poet!!

Hello friends of this wonderful community!

This weekend, I didn't travel far but ventured into the Euganean Hills, which I’ve mentioned in several of my posts, to return to Arquà Petrarca. This beautiful village near the hills is perfect for strolling through its narrow medieval streets, taking photos of picturesque scenes, and admiring ancient stone houses. This time, I also had the fortune to visit the house of the Father of Humanism in Italy, the famous poet and philosopher Francesco Petrarca, who spent the last years of his life here.

As you can see from the photos, Francesco Petrarca spent his final years in this 14th-century building, dedicating himself to writing, surrounded by the tranquility of nature. Fortunately, the 14th-century frescoes have survived to this day, thanks to the house being turned over to the municipality of Padua after the poet's death and transformed into an important museum. Today, it is visited by people from all over Italy and the world.

There are few original furnishings left, but the museum is well-organized with informative panels explaining the various parts of the house, their uses, and their history. This is essential for tourists visiting the house for the first time.
You can also visit for free the poet's burial place in the main square of the village, in front of the church. Francesco Petrarca, originally from Arezzo, traveled extensively between Italy and France from a young age and eventually settled here because the natural beauty of the area was very inspiring for his poetry.

The sarcophagus you see in the photo is his tomb. It was opened to scientifically verify whether it indeed contained the poet's remains. Several skulls, including some of women, were found, likely because the tomb was looted over the years, and his remains might have been moved elsewhere. Unfortunately, such occurrences were common in those times and even later.

I hope you found my account interesting and that you liked the photos I shared. I hope you can visit this village, which is listed among the most beautiful in Italy. Besides its rich history and culture, there are many nature trails to explore on foot or by bike.

See you in my next post, and I wish you all a good day!