Holiday in Verona

North meets south in Verona. Here you’ll find the split between southern oil and northern butter and here they can eat polenta instead of pasta. Verona was originally a Roman settlement that enjoyed the noble name “Urbs Nobilissima.” Under Julius Caesar, Verona became the northern gateway to the central Roman empire, and the very core of the Italian empire.

With the exception of Rome, Verona has more Roman relics than any other city. Following the Romans the city was conquered by the Ostrogoths, and was made into the Ostrogoth military headquarters in 489 by the Ostrogoth King Theodoric. Later, it was conquered by the Lombards and then the Franks. Verona was actually the government seat of Charlemagne’s son Pipin during his reign of Italy.

In the 12th century Verona became an independent city-state. In the 13th century the energetic family della Scala (also called Scagligeri) took control of the town. In 1263 Leonardino della Scala founded a dynasty that ruled Verona for over 100 years, and the city flourished during this period. Merciless though the della Scalas were, they were also great patrons of the art as well as gifted politicians. Some of the city’s most splendid sights stem from this period.

In 1387 the della Scala family and Verona fell to the ruling Milanese family, the Viscontis. But the Veronese discovered the Visconti rule to be hard and they managed to get Verona under the ‘protection’ of Venice in 1405. For the next 400 years Verona was a dutiful subject until the nineteenth century when it came under Austrian rule. Finally in 1866, Verona became a part of Italy. In the several hundred years following the rule of the della Scalas, Verona differed greatly from many other Italian towns in that its inhabitants never once tried to rebel against the its changing rulers. While other Italian towns were gripped by the lust for independence, Verona’s families spent their time fighting each other and keeping up appearances. It is therefore no coincidence that Shakespeare chose Verona as the backdrop for his comic portrayal of Verona’s nobility in “Two Gentlemen of Verona”.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Verona was the gateway for the many English travelers on their “grand tour” of Italy to learn about classical civilization and admire the history and culture of Italy.

The Arena
The French philosopher Montaigne first visited the arena in Verona in 1580. By the age of 47, and having traveled extensively, he still described this Roman amphitheatre as the most beautiful building he had ever seen. At that time, the amphitheatre was already around 1500 years old. It was built shortly after the birth of Christ on a site outside of the city walls. A later extension caused the amphitheatre to become a part of the city walls. An earthquake destroyed much of the amphitheatre in 1183. The public was also to blame for much of its ruination by carrying away massive quantities of stone and other building materials from the site. Authorities put a stop to this in the 17th century when restoration work began and the arena was restored to its former glory.
The arena was originally a venue for gladiatorial combat and for burning Christians. As times and tastes changed, the amphitheatre was used for sports such as bull fighting and duels, later as a fortress and then for shows and other events.

Today, the arena is the world’s largest outdoor opera and the world’s third largest original Roman amphitheatre (after the Roman Colosseum and the amphitheatre in Capua). In Roman times, the Verona arena could house more than 25,000 spectators. Today, the number is 22,000.

Roman Relics:
- Ponte Pietra is one of the two surviving Roman bridges that cross the River Adige. The Germans blew up this bridge up as they retreated during the Second World War as they also did in Florence. However, both bridges in Verona and Florence were carefully restored after the war.
- The Roman Theatre is situated on the other side of the Adige and is partly carved out of the rock face. This is one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in existence today.
- Porta Jovia was built at the end of Corso Cavour in the second half of the first century AD and is also known as Porta dei Borsari due to the fact that the bishop of the time had his tax collectors demand a toll on all goods passing through the gates here.
- Piazza delle Erbe was originally the Roman forum and is still considered to be the centre of Verona. It now provides the backdrop for a busy fruit and vegetable market. The piazza is also home to the Domus Mercatorum, dating from 1301, which was built as a warehouse and trading place for merchants, and the Torre del Gardello from 1370.

Other places of interest:
- Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s house) at number 23 Via Cappello. This beautiful house dates from the 13th-14th century (the balcony is a later addition). The Montagues and Capulets really existed but Romeo and Juliet are fictitious characters. (Shakespere highlighted this is in his original title for the play, “An Excellent Conceited Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet”). The story originates from the 1476 story of Mariotto and Gianozza by Masuccio Salernitano entitled Il Novelino, which was passed from author to author during the Renaissance, the most famous version being that by Masuccio Salernitano (1554).

Piazza dei Signori is beside the Piazza delle Erbe and was the town’s political centre during the rule of the della Scalas. To the right of the piazza you can see the Palazzo del Capitano and the Palazzo del Comune, whose imposing buildings have impressed visitors for centuries. A little further to the right is the Torre dei Lamberti dating from the 12th century. Straight ahead as you enter the square is the Palazzo degli Scaligeri.

Walk through the arcade that runs between the Palazzo degli Scaligeri and the Palazzo del Comune, and you arrive at a small Roman church, whose greatest attraction is its Gothic sepulchral monuments for the most prominent of the della Scalas: Mastino (1277), Cangrande (1329), Mastino II (1347), Cansignorio (1375).

The city’s largest church, Sant’Anastasia, is close by. Construction on the church began in 1290 and was completed in 1481, although the facade was never completed. The style is mainly Gothic with some Romanesque influence. The church includes a beautiful fresco by Pisanello depicting the warrior Saint George looking a little overdressed! You should take particular notice of the two hunchbacks bearing holy water at the entrance – their origin in not known but a little tap on their hunches is supposed to bring good luck. (Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in memoriam).

The cathedral is close by. It was consecrated in 1187 and is a combination of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles. Inside you’ll find Titian’s Ascension. On the western side you can see statues of Roland and Oliver. These are thought to originate from the period under Frank rule.

The Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore is dedicated to Saint Zeno (an African who was the city’s eighth bishop 362-380). This site already had a church dedicated to the African saint in the 5th century. In 806 another church was consecrated here in the presence of the Frank King Pipin. The church you see today was started in 1120, but wasn’t finished until long after that. The church’s great rose window, dating from the start of the 12th century depicts the wheel of fortune. The bronze panels on the church doors, dating from approximately 1100-1200 show scenes from the bible and the life of Saint Zeno. In the apse, there is a triptych by Mantegna, dating from the second half of the 15th century; this is however a reproduction as the original was seized by Napoleon and can now be found in the Louvre.

Castelvecchio, originally Castel San Martino, was built in the second half of the 14th century by Cangrande II (1364-75) as a castle. Today it houses a great art collection that includes paintings by artists including Bellini, Lotto, Tintoretto, Pisanello, Veronese and Tiepolo, as well as sculptures, jewellery and weapons.


Gastronomical notes: The best restaurants in Verona are undoubtedly those that combine tradition with creativity and elegance in the local Veronese cuisine. Typical ingredients of this area include duck, hare, lamb, horsemeat and pork or veal jaw. Foie gras (fegato grasso in Italian) is also a delicacy in the area. Add to this wild mushrooms, truffles, polenta, and countless types of risotto, including some with Amarone or squid, and you’ll have a feast fit for a king! The Veneto region also has its own cheeses. The preferred pasta type here is bigoli, which is a type of macaroni. Most good restaurants use their own special bigoli recipe. Fish is also a popular dish, particularly anglerfish, dried cod and shellfish.

- The Dal Zovo Wine Shop, Viale della Repubblica
This wine shop has a great selection of Italian wines from the northern and central regions. To find the shop you have to go out of Viale della Reppublica where you find Dal Zovo, approximately 20 minutes walk from Piazza Erbe
- Osteria al Duca, Via Arche Scaligeri 2, tel: 045 594 474
Cheap and very simple – this is about as authentic as it gets! There are two sittings for dinner in the evenings, at 19:00 and then again at 21:30.
- Antica trattoria da l’Amelia, Lungadige B. Rubele 32, tel: 045 800 5526
A great little local eatery with wonderful food and an impressive wine menu. Price level: medium