An ancient village: Arquà Petrarca

We are located in Veneto, in Arquà Petrarca in the province of Padua: a very ancient village located on the Euganean hills and at the foot of Monte Piccolo and Monte Ventolone. It is famous for having been chosen by Francesco Petrarca to live his last years of life and to house his remains. In 1369 he moved there with his family, choosing Arquà for its peace in the woods. 'Arquà' would derive from a vulgarization of the Latin term due to the arched geographical position within which the village is positioned. In Arquà Petrarca it is possible to admire the Lago della Costa, a lake of volcanic origin that since 2011 is part of the UNESCO heritage for being the only prehistoric pile-dwelling site in all the Alps. The first inhabitants of the place date back to the Bronze Age . Until the unification of Italy, the country maintained the role of control over the Euganean Mountains area. On the territory it is possible to see and visit the last house inhabited by the poet Petrarch, originally consisting of two houses dating back to the thirteenth century. Everything that the writer used has been preserved inside: from the chair to the desk to the books used. In 1500 the frescoes on the walls were restored and depict all the works of Petrarch. Petrarch's tomb was commissioned by his son-in-law Francescuolo da Grossano in 1380: in pink marble from Verona it is in the same style as the tomb of Antenore in Padua. Petrarch's body was desecrated many times, but the most sensational occurred in 1605 when his right arm was stolen. The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta dates back to the 10th century, built in Romanesque style and with a single nave, it is the main church of Arquà Petrarca. It has undergone many restorations, the last of which was in the 1920s. Inside we find the Pala dell'Assunta di Palma il Giovane, but also frescoes from the 13th and 15th centuries. A specialty of the area is the production of jujubes which are increasingly sought after; According to some writings, this production dates back to 1300. A particular festival is also dedicated to jujubes, with costumes, music and various entertainment.