Petrarca's House

About

Petrarca is one of the most notable figures in Italian history. He’s been called the ‘Father of the Renaissance’, and is attributed to creating the modern Italian language alongside Boccaccio and Dante. Petrarca traveled northern Italy as a scholar and poet-diplomat until his health deteriorated to the point that he needed to settle down. At the ripe age of 65, he decided on Padua because, as he wrote ‘in Padua I’m sure to be loved’, and he was right - the lord of Padua, Francesco Da Carrara, gave him a piece of land in Arquà, where he built the house he’d spend the rest of his days. Today, it houses a museum of his works and curiosities, including his beloved cat who was embalmed.