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VERONA
Things to See
Basilica of Santa Anastasia
This huge gothic church, erected by the Dominicans between 1289 and 1481, is one of the highest expressions of the Venetian Gothic. The unfinished façade was decorated with a beautiful 14th century door with walls deeply angled on both sides, embellished by strips of newel posts in variegated marble.
The interior houses many works of art, especially from the medieval period.
The first chapel to the left of the apse, that of the Cavalli family, is decorated with a fresco by Altichiero. This a masterpiece of "cavalleresco" gothic (1380)
In the Giusti Chapel, which is entered through the transept, one of the most famous frescos of Pisanello, "San Giorgio freeing the princess," is preserved (1436 to 1438).
San Giorgio in Braida
The church was built between 1477 and 1536. The dome and the unfinished belltower were added by Sanmicheli around 1540, while the facade was made in the 17th century. The interior, with a single nave, houses precious paintings, including the Baptism of Jesus by Tintoretto over the doorway, and the large canvas by Veronese representing the Martyrdom of Saint George, hanging over the main altar.
The San Giorgio doorway in front of the church, with three peaks, is a 16th century work by Sanmicheli.
San Zeno Maggiore
This is one of the masterpieces of Italian romanesque architecture. Paleo-christian in origin, it was built in three phases, between the 12th and 14th centuries, when the apse was remade in gothic form and a tri-lobed wooden ceiling was raised over the central nave.
The ivory-colored facade was decorated with a large rose window from the beginning of the 13th century. Its doorway is furnished with a "protiro," with reliefs by the master Nicolò (1138), and a beautiful bronze door from the 12th century.
A masterpiece of medieval European sculpture, it is made up of 48 bronze tiles that represent scenes from the Old and New Testaments and episodes from the life of San Zeno.
The body of San Zeno, patron saint of the city, lies within the crypt. Over the main altar there is a stupendous triptich which was assembled in 1459 by Andrea Mantegna, representing the Madonna on the throne surrounded by saints and angels. The altar platform (a minor side triptich) is a copy of the original one taken away by Napoleon, which still remains in France. The little adjacent cloister with arcades made from binate columns, the belltower and the abbey tower are also splendid.
Santa Maria in Organo
Erected at the end of the 15th century on the remains of a pre-romanesque building, the church still contains its three-naved crypt from the 7th and 8th centuries. The gothic-style facade is covered on the lower part by a magnificent 16th century marble "prospetto" by Sanmicheli.
Inside there are precious pictorial decorations, by Venetian Renaissance masters. In the choir and the sacristy, are fine works of inlay by Fra' Giovanni da Verona, made between 1491 and 1523.
Duomo (Cathedral)
Built in the 12th century on the site of a late medieval church, it was changed and enlarged during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Characteristics of the romanesque and gothic periods blend harmoniously on the facade. The doorway is splendid. It preceeds a two-levelled portico, bearing important sculptures and reliefs made in the 12th century. The interior was built in the gothic style. An altarpiece by Tiziano, entitled "Assunta" (1535), can be admired in the first chapel on the left, along with other priceless works of art. Adjacent to the duomo is the baptistry of San Giovanni in Fonte, built in the 12th century. It contains a precious baptismal font from Verona's romanesque school.
The Scaligeri Arches
The Scaligeri Arches are found in the little piazza opening into the right side of the Scaligeri funerary Palace, in the sheltered part of the 12th century romanesque church Santa Maria Antica. These are the monumental tombs of the Scaligeri, Veronese lords ruling from 1260 to 1387.
The most important funerary monuments are those of: Cangrande, over the entrance to the church; Mastino II, to the left , and, somewhat further back, Cansignorio. The original equestrian statue of Cangrande is conserved in Castelvecchio.
The Arena
Built in the first century AD, this is one of the most important and best conserved Roman amphitheatres.
It is called "Arena" from the Latin name for the sand that covers the stage where the shows took place. The stage is elliptical in shape with beams measuring 74 x 44 meters internally and 152 x 123 meters externally.
The seating area, called "cavea," is made up of 44 levels and can hold 22,000 spectators. Since 1913 it has hosted the celebrated lyric opera season of Verona in the summer months.
Hours: 8 am to 7 pm, days of performance 8:15 am to 3:30 pm. Closed Monday. Admission L. 6000, students L. 1500.
Castelvecchio
This is the largest civil architectural monument of medieval Verona. The Scaligeri had it built towards the middle of the 14th century when they began to doubt the loyalty of the city.
Its history through the centuries documents the ups and downs of Verona: the Scaligeri rule, a brief Visconti period, Venetian, Neapolitan and Austrian domination, up to the Kingdom of Italy.
Castelvecchio, built by Cangrande II, was a residence, munitions depository, military college and barracks until 1925, when it became the site of the Civic Art Museum.
It presently holds Venetian paintings and sculptures from the 14th to 17th centuries, including works by Pisanello, Veronese, Tiziano and Tintoretto. The equestrian statue of Cangrande I della Scala, gentleman of Verona, dominated the courtyard from an overhanging structure.
Castelvecchio is connected to the opposite bank of the Adige by the powerful Scaligero Bridge, erected originally in the first half of the 1st century AD and restored during the Scaligeri rule. Destroyed during World War II, it was rebuilt using some original materials.
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