House of Francesco Petrarca
Francesco Petrarca was born in Arezzo on July 20, 1304 from Eletta Canigiani and Ser Petracco, a Florentine exile. The house in Borgo dell’Orto 28 is, according to an accredited tradition, the one where he was born. The current building dates back to the end of the fifteenth century and for many years it was a private residence, later it became the headquarters of the Arezzo Police Headquarters, which remained here until 1926, the year in which the house was restored and on that occasion came to light traces of a previous building perhaps dating back to the thirteenth century.
Now the House is home to the prestigious Petrarch Academy of Arts and Sciences. Inside there is a rich library, the nucleus of which is the collection of Francesco Redi, there are also incunabula and precious antique editions. At the Petrarca house you can admire a valuable picture gallery, only partially owned by the Academy itself. Finally, the Academy has a conspicuous and interesting numismatic patrimony; there are about five hundred coins of various ages that cover a period of time that goes from the fourth century B.C. to 1300.
