Verona

Piazza delle Erbe is the oldest square in Verona, where medieval buildings have slowly taken the place of Roman ones. An obvious feature of this square is a colorful fruit and vegetable market with its row of umbrellas, surrounded by historic buildings and monuments.

The Palazzo del Comune, the Torre dei Lamberti, the Casa dei Giudici, Casa dei Mercanti and the Mazzanti houses overlook the square. On the smaller side there is the baroque Palazzo Maffei embellished with several statues of Roman gods. In the square there is the ancient fountain, from the Roman era and called" Madonna Verona", which contends for attention with the capital.

From the Torre dei Lamberti you can admire a splendid view over the square and the rooftops of Verona.

A few steps from Piazza delle Erbe, there is Piazza dei Signori. The administrative power of Verona has always been concentrated in this beautiful square surrounded by monumental buildings connected to each other by arcades and arches.

In the center of the square the large statue of Dante immediately strikes, which found refuge in Verona immediately after his exile from Florence. Once you enter the square from the Arco della Costa, on the left is the facade of the Domus Nova. Continuing clockwise you will find the Loggia del Consiglio and the Palazzo degli Scaligeri, Lords of Verona from 1260 to 1387. The Palazzo del Capitano follows with the corner tower that dominates the square, connected by an arch to the Palazzo della Ragione. From the arch you enter the courtyard of the Mercato Vecchio with the splendid Scala della Ragione.

Almost in a separate square is the Church of Santa Maria Antica, in whose courtyard the Scaligere Arches rise. The striking funerary complex is an extraordinary example of Gothic architecture in Italy.

Juliet's house is the place where visitors can imagine the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, made immortal by William Shakespeare. 13th century building located in the historic center, it has been recognized as the home of the Capulets. In the courtyard you can see a bronze statue of Juliet and the famous balcony that saw the birth of love between the two young people. The House of Romeo has less luck, today a private home, not far from the Scaligere Arche.

Piazza Brà is one of the largest squares in Europe, dominated by the silhouette of the Arena and embellished by some historic buildings. In Piazza Brà there is the" liston", the pink marble paving of Valpolicella, the same used to build the Roman amphitheater. In addition to the Arena, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, seat of exhibitions and events, and Palazzo Barbieri, seat of the Town Hall, overlook the square.

The Arena was a Roman amphitheater that it hosted gladiator shows . It was the fourth amphitheater(after the Colosseum in Rome, that of Capua and that of Milan) and could accommodate up to thirty thousand spectators, with a solid and imposing structure with the exterior covered with bricks and Veronese stone that create a sparkling chromatic effect. Very well preserved, it is a famous place all over the world.

A grandiose stage for important musical performances, the Arena continues to preserve its millenary function, albeit with less bloody shows.

The Adige river crosses Verona, whose bridges have always played an essential function for the city. Today there are seven, destroyed in the Second World War and later rebuilt. The oldest of all is the Ponte di Pietra, from the Roman era, which still today connects the Roman Theater with the city center. The bricks and stone blocks were recovered from the river bed and used to reconstruct the bridge in a very faithful way to the original. Another representative bridge is the Ponte Scaligero, right in front of Castelvecchio. Built in the second half of the 14th century with three unequal arches, it suffered the same fate as the Ponte di Pietra and was rebuilt in 1951 with the original stones and bricks recovered from the bottom of the Adige.

A medieval fort near the Adige river and at the gates of the historic center, Castelvecchio has had a rich history and mixed fortunes. After the fall of the Scaligeri it was used by the Venetians as a weapon depot, and then became a barracks during the French and Austrian rule. The 1926 restoration removed the military elements and added late Gothic and Renaissance references. Castelvecchio has two nuclei. In the one on the right there are the main courtyard and the parade ground , in the one on the left the Scaligera palace where the lords lived with a narrower courtyard and double walls. In the center stands the high Torre del Mastio, which leads to the Ponte Scaligero over the Adige river. Today it houses a museum with works of medieval, Renaissance and modern art.

The Church of San Zeno Maggiore is one of the greatest examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy and its current appearance seems to date back to the 12th century. In addition to guarding the body of the saint, the church is rich in sculptures and paintings from the twelfth to the sixteenth century.