For some it’s Parisfor some it is Rome, others say that it is Venice, in India it is Agra and in Spain, Teruel. In the Exquisite list of cities for lovers Verona occupies a prominent place, but this time we are not getting romantic with Shakespeare, but we are taking a walk through it in search of those other artistic beauties that have led it to form part of UNESCO.
PIAZZA BRA, THE HEART OF VERONA
Day or night, dining on one of its terraces, admiring the architecture of the Barbieri Palace, reminiscent of ancient Roman temples, Crossing the doorways or strolling along the long sidewalk (liston) that runs along it, as the people of Verona do on weekends. In La Bra you can take the pulse of Verona. It is the largest square in the city and its heart.. The Portoni della Bra, the marble and red brick gate of the old wall which, until the 15th century, was the only access to the city, connects it with the Arena, a Veronese icon.
© M RamÃrez / Alamy Stock PhotoAfter Rome and PompeiiVerona It is the city with the most Roman remains in Italy And of all of them, the most monumental is the enormous amphitheater built some 2,000 years ago that once witnessed gladiator fights and today, thanks to its perfect acoustics and 30,000 seats, is the stage for a large number of events and musical shows. Opera Festival –in which he sang for the first time Maria Callas– has been held every summer since 1913.
© Amanda Ahn / Alamy Stock PhotoTHE DOMUS ROMAN OF THE PALAZZO FORTI
If you dig a little in the city you will find Roman remains. In the Palazzo Forti located at Via Zambelli 26 you will find one of the best preserved examples of private buildings in northern Italy from that period. domus, With an area of ​​approximately 400 m2, it was built at the end of the 1st century BC and inhabited for almost 600 years and the visit to the museum of the archaeological site will allow you contemplate mosaics.
SAN ZENO AND THE OTHER TEMPLES
Although many people in Verona are interested in visiting the Romanesque Basilica of San Zeno, since it was in its crypt that Romeo and Juliet were married, and, incidentally, admiring its beautiful medieval frescoes, it also has a bunch of beautiful churches. Along with this, three others can be visited with a special ticket: San Fermo Maggiore and the Duomo, highly recommended because it is a splendid example of Italian Gothic with rich works of art. Very close to the Ponte Pietra and the Roman Theatre that of San Giorgio in Braida remains.
© Mauritius images GmbH / Alamy Stock PhotoTHE PIAZZA OF THE GRASS…
About the ancient Roman forum The Herbs Square is located there, the most beautiful of Verona, with its column of the winged lion of St. Mark, which recalls that this territory belonged to the Republic of Venice, and its popular Madonna fountain in the centre. It was a food market for centuries, where spices and herbs abounded and their aromas floated in the air, and today everything is sold. It is reached from the Arena via via Mazzini, the most commercial street in the city.
© Luca Antonio Lorenzelli / Alamy Stock PhotoBut upon entering the square of the Erbe the first thing you see is the Lamberti Tower, looking out over the city from its 84 metres of height, It is a striking example of its size and its large clock. It has two striking bells with their own names: Maragona, the smallest, was used to mark the hours and warn the population of the danger of a fire; Rengo, the largest, was used to invoke the city councils. You can climb to the top by stairs, or better yet, by elevator, to enjoy a wide view of the old town. The Museum of Modern Art is attached to the tower.
© Jan Wlodarczyk / Alamy Stock Photo…AND THE DEI Signori
The Scaligeri were lords of Verona for centuries of Venetian domination and it is in this popular space, presided over by the statue of Dante, that their tombs are located, a masterpiece of medieval funerary art. Right next to these surprising tombs, the simplicity of the beautiful Romanesque church of Santa Maria Antica, seat of the Catholic Templars, is surprising.
© Jan Wlodarczyk / Alamy Stock PhotoMAFFEIANO LAPIDARY
Inside the walls, very close to the piazza Bra, the building that houses this lapidary museum is surprising, one of the oldest in Europe, where you can see collections of Greek, Etruscan, Paleo-Venetian and Roman art, which the German poet Goethe visited and wrote about. It opens in front of the Arena and at its door is the the only bust of Shakespeare in the city.
© Jan Wlodarczyk / Alamy Stock PhotoCASTELVECCHIO
On the banks of the Adige River, the Castelvecchio Castle houses the most important museum in the city, with a rich collection of sculptures, paintings, ceramics and historical gold pieces. Connected to the fortress is the fortified bridge Scaligero or Castelvecchio, a magnificent example of military architecture. Like all medieval monuments in Verona, it is red brick (Veronese red) and white marble and is topped with towers and battlements. Its fortification began in the 14th century when the Scala family decided to place it next to the river to defend themselves from invaders and to have a quick escape point in case of emergency.
© David Milsen / Alamy Stock PhotoTHE BEST SUNSET IN THE CITY
From the San Pedro Castle offers the best sunset in the city and the panoramic view, with the Romanesque bell tower of the Duomo, the Lamberti tower and the roofs reflected in the waters of the Adige River, which form a beautiful meander and the Stone Bridge, the oldest in Verona, built by the Romans, and which must be crossed to reach the small hill on which it sits. It was built above the Roman Theatre, another of the most important buildings of the imperial era, and its viewing platforms can be accessed on foot or by funicular. Very close by is the pleasant Renaissance garden Giardino dei Giusti, next to a neoclassical palace.
