Petrarch’s Tomb

Petrarch’s Tomb is an imposing coffin made of red Verona marble. It is placed in Petrarch’s square, in front of the church of Santa Maria Assunta (2). Since 1380, six years after Petrarca’s death, it has housed the poet’s remains. On the back of the tomb there is a diagonal mark cut into the stone:

Casa Strozzi

Strozzi House, which used to belong to the Florentine Strozzi family, is now an art gallery. On the façade you can see the yellow and red family coat of arms and the ‘lily of Florence’. Strozzi house is also known as ‘Casa del Pestrin’ and there used to be an olive oil mill there.

Madonna Hospital

Built in 1320, it used to host pilgrims travelling from north to south or vice versa. Those wayfarers could usually only stay in the building one night, but in case of bad weather they would be given shelter for up to three days. Nowadays, the fresco painting on the façade of the building still bears witness to its former purpose.

Villa Alessi

In the eighteenth century this was the summer holiday residence of the bishops of Padua (like Gregorio Barbarigo and Benedetto XIII).

Piazza alta di Arquà

Unlike the Piazza bassa which is known as the religious part of the village, the piazza alta has always been given over to the village’s administrative activities. The loggia dei Vicari (the former main office of the Vicar), San Marco’s column (13) (symbol of the dominion of the Republic of Venice in the seventeenth century) and the current town hall, all look out on to this square, just as they did in the past. (14).

Loggia dei Vicari

The Loggia dei Vicari is a thirteenth century lodge where vicars and the heads of each family would discuss problems and take decisions. When, at the end of the meetings, the final decision was taken, the bell was rung and the vicars and citizens would take part in a ceremony in front of the Oratorio (oratory) della SS Trinità- (12) Vicars’ coats of arms are still displayed inside the lodge.

Petrarch’s Fountain

Petrarch’s fountain is so named because the poet used to draw his water from it, although, in fact, the fountain predates the poet. The fountain collects the water which comes down from the surrounding hills, where it springs up naturally from the ground. The nearby drinking troughs where, in the past, people took their animals to drink or went to wash their clothes are also filled with this same natural water. This fountain is symbolic of the bond between Petrach and water.

Villa Rova

This fifteenth-century villa once belonged to the Pisani family and resembles the architectural style of Villa Pisani in Strà. It is a typical example of the Venetian villas which, from 1400, were beginning to be built by the noble families of Arquà, thanks to the fame brought by Petrarch. The Venetian villas were, in fact, predominantly built around his tomb. Like Villa Pisani, Villa Rova is a tall building, encompassing several floors.

Osteria del Guerriero (Guerriero’s inn)

Look out for the grape-vine plant growing out from the inn’s walls, it’s so unique! It’s a local variety which, traditionally, has no cross-breeds and survives thanks to a limited exposure to the sun.

Villa Contarini

Villa Contarini is the most imposing building in Arquà Petrarca. It is a medieval palace formerly belonging to the Contarini family and its structure resembles that of the Villa Contarini in Piazzola. This building, influenced by both the distinctive houses of Venice as well as the typical villas of the Veneto region, is low built, but spreads out over a wide area: on the ground floor there is a portico, while on the first floor there are rooms for storing grain mill products and flour.