TheChurch of Santa Maria Assunta is the main place of worship in Arquà Petrarca, witness to a millennial history and custodian of works of art of great value. The earliest records of its existence date back to 1026 and, over the centuries, it has undergone several architectural transformations.
In the time of Francesco Petrarca, in the Three hundred, the church was preceded by a portico, already in a state of decay in the XV century and now completely disappeared. Here, in 1374, the poet's funeral was held and, as stipulated in his will, he was buried in the vicinity of the church, in the funeral monument that still stands in the churchyard.
In1677, the church was enlarged in length and height, while the facade took on its current Romanesque style only after later interventions, including those of 1874 and 1926.
A treasure trove of art and spirituality
The interior of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta has a single nave, with three altars and a roof with exposed beams. The striking central altar, from the eremo del Monte Rua, is the work of sculptor Francesco Rizzi (1729-1795), an exponent of the school of Bonazza. The altar is embellished with statues of the Virgin and Archangel Gabriel, flanked by two busts of saints and two angels.Also of great artistic interest are the two side altars, made of wood carved in the 500s. Especially noteworthy is the altarpiece on the right altar, painted byPietro Damini da Castelfranco, depicting the Baptism of Jesus. Behind the high altar, however, is the altarpiece of the Assumption, a masterpiece by Palma the Younger (1544-1628).
Restorations in the early 20th century unearthed important medieval frescoes, including a Madonna and Child from the XI century, of the Veneto-Byzantine school, and other XV century frescoes attributed to the post-Giottesque school, including a triptych depicting St. Martha, St. Mary Magdalene and St. Lucy.
Still today, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta represents not only a place of worship and recollection, but also a landmark for history and art lovers, who can admire here a unique artistic and architectural heritage in the heart of the Euganean Hills.