Arquà Petrarca

Arquà Petrarca (originally Arquà ) is a town southwest of Padua between Padua and Ferrara, near the ancient Via Adriatica 1837 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012). It belongs to the Association of The most beautiful villages in Italy.

The place is located in the Euganean Hills and is accessible via the motorway exit Monselice. In honor of the great humanist and poet Francesco Petrarch, who has there spent his last four years of life (1370-1374) and is buried, she adorns herself since 1870 with his last name as an additive.

  • 3.1 Santa Maria Assunta / tomb of Petrarch
  • 3.2 mansions, palaces and historic buildings

History

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the area at the Lago della Costa, a small lake at the foot of Monte Ricco, about 2 km from the town center, has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Here at the end of the 19th century was a pile dwelling settlement and necropolis of the pre-Roman population - attributed to the so-called Euganeern - found.

In the Roman period under the Emperor Augustus Arquatum belonged to Region X Regio Venetia et Histria ( 10 Veneto region and Istien ).

In a document of 985 one inhabited by Rodolfo Norman- fort ( castrum ) is on the hill, now called Monte Castello, documented. This fort, originally a fief of the Este, was set in 1322 and destroyed in the war between the Carraresi Scaligers on fire.

It developed below the hill two village centers with two Pievi, in a higher position with a Trinity Church ( Holy Trinity ) and a second later by the Church of the Assumption ( Santa Maria Assunta ). This structure is still clearly visible today, dividing the nucleus into two parts, a di Sopra (top) and a di Sotto (below).

1213 was the site of the Este over to the Free City of Padua; he became the seat of the Podestà and the Vicariate. This remained as Padua in 1405 had lost its independence and the Republic of Venice was, in whose reign Arquà remained until 1797 ( Napoleonic conquest ). Among the Venetian Renaissance aristocratic families of the retirement home Petrarch was popular in reminiscence of the poet as a residence; the Contarini, Badoer, Cavalli, Pisani, Capodivacca, Sambonifacio, Santonini, Borromeo, Dottori, Oddo and Zabarella built villas, some of which are still preserved.

1866 to the port of Venice to the Italian Republic was Arquà independent municipality; this only received the suffix " Petrarch ".

The town lives on tourism, which in the wake of a documentary of the life and work of Petrarch in a museum at his retirement home (Casa Petrarca ), the restoration of the entire village and its cultural assets, the establishment of bars and restaurants and the sale of local agricultural products ( wine, olive oil, grappa ) has developed. A specialty of the place is also the Giuggiola ( Ber or jujube ), are made from the numerous Arquà Petrarca products such as jams, pastries, or schnapps. In autumn, the " Festa delle Giuggiole " takes place.

Attractions in the upper center

Townscape around the Holy Trinity Church

The heart of the upper town center is the Piazza on 1181 first mentioned Trinity Oratorio ( Holy Trinity ). This expanded in the 14th century nave church was frescoed, few of which are still preserved. In addition, he is furnished with Baroque altarpieces, including a representation of the Holy Trinity with Saints Margaret, Lucy and Francis, a late work by Palma il Giovane.

Connected to the Trinity Church is the Loggia dei Vicari (14th century). Under its arcades of the Vicar convened meetings. Before the loggia stands a column with the Venetian lion of St Mark, which was built in 1612 Vicar Girolamo Bonmartini to document the loyalty of the Vicariate of the Republic of Venice.

In the side streets give the characteristic houses of trachyte, simple and massively built, but with recurring architectural details (door, porch, flower-decked entrances and balconies, rustic fireplaces ), the upper center a closed appearance.

Casa Petrarca

One of these houses in Via Valleselle is the Casa Petrarca with external staircase and loggia bay window upstairs, surrounded by a small garden, in which the poet has grown wine, apples and spices. Today, beech trees, oleander, pine, bay trees, olive and cherry trees grow there. The house was given to Petrarch by Francesco il Vecchio da Carrara, the city of his time regent of Padua. In the basement he lived with his family, the floor he saw before his servants.

The state in which the visitor the retirement home of Petrarch finds today, going to a subsequent owner of the 16th century, the nobles Pietro Paolo Valdezocco ( here residing 1546-1556 ) back. He had the top floor with frescoes imagine that relate to the major works of the poet, Canzoniere, trionfi and Africa. Along with the armchair and bookcase Petrarch these spaces are open to visitors as a museum in reminiscence of Petrarch.

The lower rooms are taken since 1985 by a permanent photo exhibition on the art and culture of the city of Padua to complete. A curiosity is a mummified cat in a baroque niche, including an inscription stating that the cat believed to have been Petrarch's great love, the loyal guardian that protected his garden of mice. Studies have shown that it can not be the cat Petrarch, but the mummy from the 17th century comes, so that has probably 's then owner Girolamo Gabrielli immured the animal there.

Attractions in the lower center

Heart of this district is the church of Santa Maria Assunta with its central plaza, which was to the 19th century cemetery. The place in 1965 was designed with Trachytplatten to make a new environment for the sarcophagus of Petrarch, who remained as the only visible tomb for today's visitor to this cemetery.

The lower district is otherwise open cultivated than the upper; a number of historic buildings has been preserved here.

Santa Maria Assunta / tomb of Petrarch

The parish church was first mentioned in 1026 and remodeled several times over the centuries. The neo-Romanesque complex that today's visitors presents itself, comes from 1926.

Inside, during restoration work in the 20th century frescoes from various periods that were glossed over, has been found again. The oldest in the Byzantine style ( Enthroned Madonna with Child) are dated to the 13th century, while other frescoes of the Giotto school attributed (St. Martha, Mary Magdalene and St. Lucia), and the younger ( again Mary with Child) should not before the 15th century have originated. A label on the right side wall Polyptych of boards with a gold background, the St. Augustine, Peter and Paul and other saints performing, originally from Holy Trinity and was created by Jacopo Bonomo, a pupil of Lorenzo Veneziano, in the 14th century.

In the church the funeral Petrarch took place on July 24, 1374. The sarcophagus is in form designed in the style of Roman models and bears two inscriptions. 1547 was Pietro Valdezocco a bronze bust of the poet muster on the sarcophagus. Today you can see this original bust in the Casa Petrarca and on the sarcophagus a copy. 1630 broke grave robber on the sarcophagus and stole parts of the skeleton. In the 19th century, the grave was opened three times to assemble bones back and perform investigations. In a recent grave opening in 2004 it was recognized that the skull is wrong, he apparently belongs to a woman, the bone but otherwise very likely actually the remains of Francesco Petrarca's likely to be.

Villas, palaces and historic buildings

  • Before the so-called Fountain of Petrarch below the church square (from the potion according to the inscription of the poet ) is Villa Rova with the arms of Pisani (lion on hind legs ), surrounded by a garden with private oratory.
  • The Palazzo Contarini with Venetian Shamrock double and triple arcades has been redesigned several times.
  • The Florentine family Strozzi belonged to the palace opposite (1926 restoration )
  • The Palazzo Vettorato (14th century ) has the same Gothic style elements.
  • The Ospedale della Madonna at Via Jacopo d' ArquÃ, which leads to the upper district, was a hospice for the poor beggars and pilgrims. Located on the facade an alcove with a Crucifixion fresco ( only rudimentary preserved).
  • At this historic inn Osteria del Guerriero (15th century) grows a centuries-old vine.
  • At Casa Alessi Alessi archaeologist Isidoro lived. Here several times stayed Paduan Bishops (1789 restored).
  • The Casa Mentasti was the residence of the Epographikers Carlo Leoni ( neo-Gothic redesigned ).

Community partnership

Arquà Petrarca maintains a partnership with the French commune of Fontaine- de -Vaucluse, has also lived for a time in the Petrarca.

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