Verona

Verona is a city in northern Italy, and is the capital of the province of Verona in the Veneto region. The city is located east of Milan, west of Venice and Padua. In 2001, the city had a population of 243.500. The city center of Verona has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000.

The Adige flows through Verona. There are many bridges over this river, such as the Ponte Catena, the Ponte Risorgimento, the Ponte Scaligero, the Ponte Vittoria, the Ponte Garibaldi, the Ponte Nuovo, the Ponte Navi and the Ponte Aleardi.

Much transport of goods goes through Verona, due to its favorable location in relation to Central Europe, on the Brenner Pass. The city was already important in Roman times, it may have been under Etruscan influence earlier. The Romans used Verona as a base for their campaigns north, across the Alps. After Rome, Verona has the most buildings from the Roman period. In 1239 the city flooded and was rebuilt.

Castel Vecchio in Verona is located on the Adige. Just in front of it is the Arco dei Gavi, a triumphal arch from the first century. It is the castle of the Scaligers. It was built in the 14th century against the city wall. Now there is a museum with a lot of Venetian art. There are three parts: living quarters, fortress with bastions and ponte Scaligero, fortified bridge over the Adige.

Piazza delle Erbe: the Roman forum used to be here. A daily market is now held here (vegetables, fruit and clothing). There are many terraces. On the short side of the square is Palazzo Maffei at No. 42. On its balustrade are marble statues. To its left is the Gardello Tower from the 14th century. In front of Palazzo Maffei is a column with Marcus lion.

In the square is a fountain with a Roman female figure, Madonna de Verona. Her sash reads 'this city brings justice and wants to be praised'. Important public events used to take place in the small marble building in the middle of the square. At the back of the square is a column with a stone lantern.

Piazza dei Signori is one of the most beautiful squares in medieval Italy. There are beautiful Renaissance buildings. In the center is the statue of Dante. It was received in the Palazzo del Governo in the 13th century by Cangrande Scaliger. On the north side we see the Loggia del Consiglio, to the west is the higher Piazza Mazzanti with a well and balcony facades. To the south is Palazzo del Commune with a tower above
sticking out.

Here in the courtyard we see the facade with balcony of a 13th century stately house. The House of Giulietta. This is where the heroine would have lived. Nonsense of course, in reality the balcony is not even 100 years old and it is purely an attraction for the tourists.

Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet is set in 1302. It is the period when the Guelphs, to which the Montecchi family belonged, were at war with the Ghibellines, the party of the Capuleti family.