Verona
Verona (population est. 260,000) is an ancient town, episcopal see and province in the Veneto, Northern Italy. The ancient town, and the centre of the modern city, are in a loop of the Adige River near Lake Garda. Because of this position, the areas saw regular floodings until 1956. It was in that year that the Mori-Torbole tunnel was constructed, which provides 500 cubic meters of discharge from the Adige river to the Garda lake in case of flood danger. The tunnel reduced the risk of floodings from once every seventy years to once every two centuries.
History
The origins of Verona are uncertain, and it is not even known how the city came by its name. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area which was to become Verona has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and was later occupied by Etruscans, the Eugaei or Raetii tribes, but the first historical records of its existence are from the 4th century BC. Verona was already an important Roman settlement by 89 BC. The center of the modern city preserves the outlines of the original Roman military settlement, which was called Colonia Augusta Verona. Like all towns founded on Roman military camps, it is divided by two main streets (the cardus and decumanus) at right angles, thus creating four quarters. Most of the important Roman remains in Verona date from the 1st century BC, including the Amphitheatre, Theatre, arches, gates and bridges. Verona is second only to Rome itself in its concentration of Roman architectural remains in Italy. The city’s importance to the Roman Empire is emphasized by the fact that three major Roman roads terminated at Verona: the Via Claudia Augusta, Via Gallica and Via Postumia. The great Roman poet Q. Valerius Catullus was a native of Verona.
In 268 AD, Verona was the site of a battle between Emperor Claudius and invading German tribes. In 312 AD, the rival Emperors Constantine and Maxentius fought a battle outside of Verona, and again in 402 AD, Vandal forces under Stilicho fought against the Visigoths led by Alaric. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Verona was briefly under Byzantine rule from Ravenna, followed by Ostrogoth rule by Theodoric the Great, who built a castle here. Lombard King Alboin was murdered by his wife Rosamund in Verona. It was captured by Charlemagne in 774, and became the residence of his son, Pippin. Later, Verona became a free city, and sided with the Guelph party against the Ghibellines. During this time, it developed its own style of art, a synthesis of Ottonian and Carolingian influences. It was known as a center of culture, and the Schola Sacerdotum academy drew scholars from all over western Europe.
In 1164, the Comune of Verona allied itself with the other mainland cities against Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa. In 1262, local strongman Leonardino della Scala, nicknamed Mastino (the "Mastiff") was voted lord of the city, thus beginning the rule of the della Scala (Scaligeri) family. Verona under the reign of Mastino's nephew Bartolomeo was the setting for the romance between Romeo Montecchi and Giulietta Capuleti ("Romeo and Juliet") – locales in the city associated with that story are now major tourist sights. By 1308, under the rule of Cangrande I della Scala (“Big Dog”), Verona dominated all of the Veneto and was an anti-Papal stronghold. Its court became a cultural refuge for artists and writers. Dante dedicated the third section of his Divine Comedy to his patron and friend, Cangrande. Under the rule of Mastino II, the domain of Verona extended to Parma, Brescia and Lucca.
In 1387, anti-Scala forces (Venice, Florence, Milan and the Papal States) united to overthrow the della Scala, and Verona fell to the armies of Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan. In 1404, Visconti's widow brought Verona to the Carraresi clan of Padua, and in 1405, the city was conquered by Venice. The Venetian Republic retained control for some 400 years, except for a brief period from 1509-1517, when it came under rule by Austrian Emperor Maximilian. During the long period of Venetian rule, Verona continued in its role as a cultural center, producing famous artists such as Stefano da Verona and Pisanello, and Paolo Caliari (Veronese).
Venetian rule came to an end with the arrival of the French under Napoleon in 1797, when it was annexed into the Cisalpine Republic. After the fall of Napoleon, it came under Austrian rule, and one of the fortress group called Quadrilatero. Verona hosted the Congress of Verona in 1822, the last of the meetings of the Quadruple Alliance. In 1866 Verona was captured by Italian troops during the Austro-Prussian War, and was annexed into the Kingdom of Italy.
During the First World War, Verona was one of the most heavily damaged cities in Italy. It was bombed in the Second World War. The city today is a major tourist destination, and is also known for its wines (Soave, Valpolicella, Bardolino, Amarone, Custoza), handicrafts industries and light manufacturing. In the year 2000, the entire center of Verona was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Demographics
Monuments
Because of the value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO world heritage site.
Roman monuments
Verona is famous for its Roman amphitheatre, the Arena, completed around 30 AD, which is the third largest in Italy, after Rome's Colosseum and the arena at Capua.It measures 139 meters long and 110 meters wide, and could seat some 25,000 spectators in its 44 tiers of marble seats. The ludi (shows and gladiator games) performed within its walls were so famous that they attracted spectators from far beyond the city. The current two-story façade is actually the internal support for the tiers; only a fragment of the original outer perimeter wall in white and pink limestone from Valpolicella, with three stories remains.The interior is very impressive and is virtually intact, and has remained in use even today for public events, fairs, theatre and open-aired opera during warm, Summer nights.
There is also a variety of other Roman monuments to be found in the town, such as the Roman theatre. This theatre was built in the 1st century BC, but through the ages had fallen in disuse and had been built upon to provide housing. In the 18th century Andrea Monga, a wealthy Veronese, bought all the houses that in time had been built over the theatre, demolished them, and saved the monument.
The Arco dei Gavi (Gavi Arch), dedicated to the important Roman family of the Gavii, was built in the 1st century AD, and is famous for having the name of the builder (architect Lucius Vitruvius Cordone) engraved on it, a really rare case in the architecture of the epoque. It originally it straddled the main Roman road into the city, now the Corso Cavour. It had been demolished by the French troops in 1805 and was rebuilt in 1932.
Nearby is the Porta dei Borsari, an archway is at the end of Corso Porta Borsari. This is the façade of a 3rd century gate in the original Roman city walls. The inscription is dated 245 AD and gives the city name as Colonia Verona Augusta. The road passing through the gate is the original Via Sacra of the Roman city. Today, it is lined with several Renaissance palazzo.
Porta dei Leoni is the 1st century BC ruin of what was once part of the Roman city gate. A substantial portion is still standing as part of the wall of a medieval building. The street itself is an open archaeological site, and the remains of the original Roman street and gateway foundations can be seen a few feet below the present street level.
Medieval monuments
The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore [1]is considered one of the great achievements of Romanesque architecture. The present structure is the 3rd on this site, built from 1123-1135, over the 4th century shrine to Verona's patron saint, St Zeno. The splendid façade dominates the large square, and is flanked with a beautiful 72 meter tall bell tower, which is mentioned by Dante in Canto 18 of Purgatory in the Divine Comedy. The weathered Veronese stone gives a warm golden glow and the restrained lines of the pillars, columns, cornices and the gallery with its double windows give the façade an air of harmonious elegance. The huge Rose Window is decorated as a Wheel of Fortune. The lintels above the portal have carvings of the months of the year. Each side of the doorway is embellished with 18 bas-relief panels of biblical scenes, and the inner bronze door has panels have 48 primitive but forceful depictions from the life of St Zeno. The meaning of some of the scenes is now unknown, but the extraordinarily vivid, barbaric energy of the figures is a superb blend of traditional and Ottonian influences. The interior of the church is divided into a Lower Church, occupying about 2/3 of the structure, and the Upper Church, occupying the remainder. The walls are covered with 12th and 14th century frescos and the ceiling of the nave is a magnificent example of a shi's keel ceiling. The vaulted crypt contains the tomb of St Zeno (d.380), the first Bishop of Verona as well as the tombs of several other saints. North of the church is a pleasant cloister. The church also houses the tomb of King Pippin of Italy (777-810).
The small Romanesque Basilica of San Lorenzo is one of the most beautiful and important in the city. Its dates from around 1177, but is built on the site of a Paleochristian church, some fragments of which remain. The church is built of alternating tracks of brick and stone, and has two cylindrical towers, housing spiral staircases to the wome's galleries. Inside, the atmosphere is rather severe, but is still quiet and peaceful. The striped bands of stone and brick and the graceful arches complement the setting.
St Maria Antica is a tiny Romanesque church was the parish church of the Scaligeri clan. Founded in the 7th century, the interior is very beautiful. The structure is of alternating bands of brick and stone. The square belfry has Gothic mullioned windows, and inset glass crosses in the roof admit light. Only large enough to hold a couple dozen people at most for mass, when the Scaligeri chose this to be their funerary chapel, the only place for their massive tombs was outside. Hovering in mid-air above the entrance to the church is the Tomb of Cangrand I "Big Dog" (d.1329). The base of the fancy sarcophagus forms the porch. Above is a Gothic canopy with a pyramid-shaped roof. The statue of the dead warlord is on top; however, the whole assembly is topped with a statue of Cangrand on horseback, in armor, sword in hand, with a manic smile and his outrageous dog-head helmet. Towering over the fence are the spire topped tombs of Mastino II “The Mastiff” (d.1351) and Cansignorio “Noble Dog” (d.1375), with splendidly wrought Gothic pinnacles bristling like lances, and similar detailed carvings, statues, winged helmets and wrought-iron fences with the Scaligeri ladder emblems. In all of Europe, there is nothing like these spiky, flamboyant, monuments. Simplertombs near the church wall contain other members of the Scaligeri clan, including Mastino (d.1277) who founded the dynasty, Bartolomeo (d.1304) and Giovanni (d.1359).
St Anastasia is a huge and lofty church built from 1290-1481 by the Dominicans to hold the massive congregations attracted by their rousing fundamentalist sermons. The Gothic portal has faded 15th century frescoes and carved scenes from the life of St Peter Martyr, but the façade is unfinished. Inside is one of the most outstanding examples of Gothic architecture in northern Italy. However, its proportions and various elements of the design are still decidedly Romanesque. Of note are the 2 holy water stoups inside are upheld by comical and realistic beggars.
Famous Veronese
- Girolamo Fracastoro also known by his Latin name Fracastorius - renowned scholar, physician and poet
- Emilio Salgari, writer
Other information
Verona was the birthplace of Catullus, Vitruvius, and the town that Julius Caesar selected for his relaxing stays. In its history many important names passed and events happened that were relevant for the European history, like Theodoric the Great, king of Ostrogoths, Alboin and Rosamunda, the Lombard Dukes, Charlemagne and Pippin of Italy, Berengar I, Dante. Conclaves were held here, as were important congresses. Verona was in the travel diaries of Goethe, Stendhal and Paul Valéry.
Verona is the setting of the story of Romeo and Juliet, made famous by William Shakespeare. Although the earliest version of the story is set in Siena, not Verona — the move was made in Luigi da Porto's Istoria novellamente ritrovata di due Nobili Amanti — a balcony falsely claiming historical connection to the fictional lovers has become a tourist attraction for lovers; the short passageway leading to the balcony is covered with slips of paper carrying their graffiti, and a bronze statue of Juliet stands under the balcony, one breast polished by those touching it for luck.
Its Natural history museum contains one of the most valuable collections of fossils and archaeological remains of Europe.
The colors of the city are the yellow and the blue.
The town has two soccer teams, one in the highest division of the Italian championship, Chievo Verona and the other in the second division, Hellas Verona.
Things from Verona (and sometimes people) are called Veronese. The most famous example of this can lead to confusion, however, as the Renaissance painter, Paolo Veronese is often referred to as simply "Veronese".
See also
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a Shakesperean comedy beginning in Verona.