Petrarch House Museum

Discover the House of Petrarch and immerse yourself in the poetry of the master from Arezzo

Room after room is filled with the air that brought to life the genius of Francesco Petrarca

One of the greatest poets in the history of humanity, Francesco Petrarca was born in this house, situated within the city walls in the heart of historic Arezzo on Borgo dell’Orto street. In Petrarch’s House you can see the 14th century rooms where the genius took his first steps and later went on to write the history of the Italian language and literature, along with Dante Alighieri and Giovanni Boccaccio. When Petrarca was born in Arezzo on Monday, July 20, 1304, Dante Alighieri was already in the town. He had taken refuge in Arezzo after being exiled from Florence along with his great friend, Ser Petracco , the father of Francesco. 

The House of Petrarch is now a museum and home to the Petrarch Academy of Arts and Sciences in Arezzo which celebrates Petrarch’s greatness, his works and the influence of his art over the centuries. 

The House of Petrarch contains large Renaissance paintings by Tuscan painters, relics and materials related to Petrarch. There is a collection of 259 ancient coins and a library full of volumes dedicated to Petrarch and to the Italian cultural movement of the 1600s. 

A visit to the House of Petrarch gives you a glimpse of 14th century Tuscany. It’s enough to look out onto the terrace and then finish up in the Prato Park, with its imposing marble statue dedicated to Petrarch, to make you feel like you’ve bridge the gap between the past and the present.