by InTrieste
This November, the city of Trieste turns to literary celebration, marking the legacies of two towering Italian figures, Francesco Petrarch and Umberto Saba, with a series of events. The project, For a Petrarch Anniversary (1374-2024): Francesco Petrarca in the Work of Umberto Saba, commemorates the 650th anniversary of Petrarch’s death, alongside the 100th anniversary of Trieste’s beloved “Umberto Saba Antiquarian Bookstore.” Backed by the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the initiative highlights both Petrarch’s lasting influence and Saba’s unique role in preserving literary heritage.
Central to the celebration is the Piccolominean Petrarch Museum, home to the world’s second-largest collection of Petrarch’s incunabula and manuscripts. The museum has curated a special exhibition that reveals the profound connection between Petrarch’s verses and Saba’s writings, illustrating how the 14th-century poet inspired Trieste’s 20th-century icon.
A Guided Journey Through Saba’s World
Alessandra Sirugo, the curator of the Piccolominean Petrarch Museum, will lead guided tours every Wednesday at 4 PM and Saturday at 11 AM through the exhibition, titled “…I am almost becoming a bibliophile myself. Umberto Saba and the Work of Francesco Petrarca”. The exhibit offers a layered view into Saba’s dual career as a poet and a bookseller, exploring how his deep engagement with Petrarch’s work shaped his artistic voice and approach to literature. Visitors will also learn about Saba’s collaboration with poet Virgilio Giotti, which transformed his bookstore into an unexpected center for publishing and poetry in Trieste.
The tours will be held at the Attilio Hortis Civic Library, where the exhibition is located. Admission to the exhibit is free, and the guided tour is available for €4.50 general admission and €2.50 for reduced admission.
A Walk Through Trieste’s Literary Heritage
The month’s celebrations also feature a literary walking tour, scheduled for Saturday, November 16, at 3:30 PM. Led by Alessandra Sirugo and Cristina Fenu, co-curator of the LETS – Trieste Literature Museum, the tour offers a journey through Trieste’s literary history, exploring landmarks dear to both Saba and the lawyer and collector Domenico Rossetti, an avid admirer of Petrarch’s work. The tour will conclude at Rossetti’s statue on via Giulia and will be narrated in Italian with interpretation in Italian Sign Language (LIS), fostering inclusivity.
Interested participants are asked to reserve in advance by emailing museopetrarchesco@comune.trieste.it.
Trieste’s Literary Heartbeat
This month-long project highlights Trieste’s dedication to Italian literature and its lasting cultural impact. The restoration of Saba’s antiquarian bookstore, reopened to the public this year, reflects the city’s commitment to preserving its literary landmarks.
For additional information, visit museopetrarchesco.it or call +39 040 6758184.
With carefully curated exhibitions and immersive city tours, For a Petrarch Anniversary (1374-2024) gives residents and visitors alike a rare opportunity to celebrate two writers who shaped Italian literature. For a city with such rich ties to European literary history, Trieste’s tribute to Petrarch and Saba reaffirms its position as a guardian of timeless stories and enduring legacies.
