Casa del Petrarca

Casa del Petrarca in Arquà Petrarca was adapted in 1369 as a retreat for the poet Francesco Petrarca. He died there on the night of 18–19 July 1374. The house preserves the studiolo, the poet’s chair and a collection of objects and artworks associated with his life and literary legacy.

Why it matters

Petrarca arranged the house by joining two existing buildings, creating separate spaces for his family and for servants and services. The house later became a destination for literary pilgrims and is now part of the Musei Civici di Padova.

What to notice

The studiolo, formed by dividing an upper room, has Gothic-style windows overlooking the Euganean landscape. The museum displays Petrarca’s chair, a bookcase and early editions of his works. The house also contains a stuffed cat described by the museum as legendary. Sixteenth-century frescoes inspired by the Canzoniere and the Africa were commissioned by owner Paolo Valdezocco, who also added the loggia and external staircase.

Context and history

The house remained in private hands after Petrarca’s death. In the sixteenth century, Valdezocco remodelled it and commissioned the frescoes. On 6 February 1876 the City of Padua inherited the house from its last private owner, Cardinal Pietro Silvestri, and opened it as a public monument. A first scientific restoration began in 1906; work continued through the twentieth century and was completed in 1985. The building is now managed by the Musei Civici di Padova.