Showing 1-18 of 18 results
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Arche Scaligere
Walk through the archway at the far end of Piazza dei Signori to these ornate Gothic funerary monuments, the elaborate tombs of the Della Scala family, in front of the little Santa Maria Antica church. In the courtyard behind the Arche, have a look at the scavi (excavation work) that's been done on this part of medieval Verona.
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Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore
This mighty church, built mainly in the 12th century in honour of the city's patron saint, is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture. Look out for remarkable frescoes, the magnificent rose window depicting the Wheel of Fortune, and the interior's pièce de résistance - Mantegna's Maestà della Vergine (The Majesty of the Virgin Mary), above the high altar.
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Casa di Giulietta
Just off Via Giuseppe Mazzini, central Verona's main shopping street, is the Casa di Giulietta. Romeo and Juliet may have been fictional, but here you can swoon beneath what popular myth says was her balcony or, if in need of a new lover, approach a bronze statue of Juliet and rub her right breast for good luck. Others have made their eternal mark by adding to the slew of scribbled love graffiti on the walls leading into the courtyard.
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Castelvecchio
The 14th-century fortress, Castelvecchio was raised by Cangrande II (of the Scaligeri family), little loved by the townspeople and anxious to protect himself against threats from home and abroad. Having gone to all that trouble, he was stabbed to death by his charming brother Canfrancesco inside the fortress walls. The restored fortress houses a museum with a diverse collection of paintings, frescoes, jewellery and medieval artefacts.
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Chiesa di San Fermo
At the river end of Via Leoni, Chiesa di San Fermo is actually two churches in one. Franciscan monks raised the Gothic church in the 13th century over the original 11th-century Romanesque structure. Inside the main (Gothic church) your attention is first drawn to the magnificent timber a carena di nave, a ceiling suggesting an upturned boat's hull. In the right transept are preserved some 14th century frescoes, including some fragments depicting episodes in the life of St Francis.
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Chiesa di San Lorenzo
Southwest from Piazza delle Erbe towards the Ponte Scaligero is the Chiesa di San Lorenzo, a Romanesque church raised in the early 12th century but much altered with Gothic and Renaissance additions. The most unusual element and virtually unique in Italy are the two cylindrical towers that flank the entrance.
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Chiesa di Sant'Anastasia
North from the Arche Scaligere stands the Chiesa di Sant'Anastasia , started in 1290 but not completed until the late 15th century. It is the most imposing example of Gothic church-building in the city. Raised by the Dominican order and officially named San Pietro Martire (St Peter the Martyr), the citizens continued to call it by the name of the humbler church that had stood here before.
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Duomo
The 12th-century Duomo combines Romanesque (lower half) and Gothic (upper half) styles and has some intriguing features. Look for the sculpture of Jonah and the whale on the south porch and the statues of two of Charlemagne's paladins, Roland and Oliver, on the west porch. In the first chapel of the left aisle is an Assunta (Assumption) by Titian. The cathedral was built on the site of earlier churches, built as long ago as the 5th century. As you penetrate the church this becomes evident.
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Giardino Giusti
The lush sculpted gardens known as Giardino Giusti are named after the noble family that has looked after it and the mansion since opening the garden to visitors in 1591. It is the only such private residence left in Verona. The garden is an Italianate mix of the sculpted and natural, graced by soaring cypresses (one of which the German poet Goethe immortalised in his travel writings).
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Juliet's House
Romeo and Juliet may have been fictional, but at Juliet's House ( Casa di Giulietta ) you can swoon beneath what popular myth says was her balcony or, if in need of a new lover, approach a bronze statue of Juliet and rub her right breast for good luck. Others have made their eternal mark by adding to the scribbled love graffiti on the courtyard walls.
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Loggia del Consiglio
Occupying the north side of Piazza dei Signori is the 15th-century Loggia del Consiglio, the former city council building and Verona's finest Renaissance structure. It is attached to the Palazzo degli Scaligeri, once the main residence of the Della Scala clan.
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Museo Archeologico
Sitting pretty above a Roman theatre dating from the 1st century AD (still used today for concerts and plays) is this interesting archaeology museum. Take the lift at the back of the theatre to uncover Greek, Roman and Etruscan finds - and superb views over the city from the historic chapel at the top.
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Palazzo della Ragione
The Palazzo della Ragione has since early 2007 been a central exhibition space for the city, putting on major art exhibits.
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Piazza delle Erbe
Originally the site of a Roman forum, this piazza buzzes with life. With permanent market stalls in its centre, the square is lined with some of Verona's most sumptuous buildings including the baroque Palazzo Maffei, at the north end, and the adjoining 14th-century Torre del Gardello. On the east side is Casa Mazzanti, a former Della Scala family residence.
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Roman Arena
For many, the heart of Verona is its pink-marble 1st-century Roman Arena . Once the scene of gladiatorial spectacles, it now stages a rather less bloodcurdling annual open-air opera season (July to September). The third-largest Roman amphitheatre in existence, it could seat around 30,000 people. It is remarkably well preserved, despite a 12th-century earthquake that destroyed most of its outer wall. The arena, similar to others built in Aosta, Arles and Nîmes, has had a mixed career.
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Roman Theatre
Across Ponte Pietra, north of the city centre, is a Roman Theatre, built in the 1st century. The bridge is a quiet but remarkable testament to the Italians' love of their artistic heritage. The two arches on the left date from the Roman Republican era (1st century BC), while the other three were replaced in the 13th century. Then in 1945, retreating German troops blew the bridge. The Veronese fished the stonework out of the river and painstaking rebuilt the bridge in the 1950s.
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Tomba di Giulietta
At the Tomba di Giulietta, the museum contains frescoes transferred from sites across Verona and a collection of 1st-century Roman amphorae. The red marble coffin itself was long used as a drinking trough and only set up in its present 'Gothic' in the 20th century as tourists began to flock to see it!
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Torre dei Lamberti
For superb views of Verona, take the lift or your feet up this 84m-high tower, built in stages from the 12th century (with a slight setback in 1403 when lightning knocked its top off). Sporting an octagonal bell tower, its two bells retain their ancient names: 'rengo' once called meetings of the city council, while 'marangona' warned citizens of fire.
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Showing 1-18 of 18 results
