{"id":29120,"date":"2025-11-26T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beculture.it\/?p=29120"},"modified":"2025-10-26T10:21:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T09:21:28","slug":"what-to-see-in-verona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beculture.it\/en\/what-to-see-in-verona\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovering Verona: what to see among art, history, and museums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Verona is not just the Arena and Juliet\u2019s House: behind its most iconic landmarks lies a city capable of charming visitors in countless other ways. Strolling through its cobbled streets and lesser-known corners, you\u2019ll encounter places rich in history and fascination<\/strong> \u2014unmissable stops for any first-time visitor. Let\u2019s explore some of its most remarkable attractions, masterpieces of art, architectural treasures, and unique atmospheres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five must-see historic monuments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Romantic and Roman\u2014those two words perfectly sum up the poetic fame and ancient origins of this Veneto city, which continues to captivate lovers of both literature and history. For them, and for anyone visiting Verona for the first time, here are five unmissable sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Roman Theatre<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Arena may be Verona\u2019s most recognisable symbol, yet it\u2019s not the only Roman-era monument in town. Located on the opposite bank of the Adige, the Roman Theatre is among the best-preserved theatres in northern Italy<\/strong>. Built in the 1st century BC, it was rediscovered much later thanks to excavations by Andrea Monga (1794\u20131861), a wealthy merchant and owner of the land. Today, little remains of the original structure, but the tuff walls, stage area, and surviving tiers of seats still hint at its lost magnificence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roman theatre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Ponte Pietra<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Just a short walk from the Roman Theatre stands Ponte Pietra<\/strong>, probably the city\u2019s oldest surviving Roman monument (it is thought to date back to before 89 BC). Its many reconstructions, collapses, and restorations tell not only of the bridge\u2019s past events, but also the character of the Veronese people, revealing their resilience and deep connection to local history, which they regard as a living heritage to be preserved<\/strong> at all costs. In this sense, the most recent intervention is perhaps the most significant. It was 1957, and the bridge had lain in ruins for over ten years \u2014 ever since 1945, when the retreating German troops blew it up. The city decided to rebuild it exactly as it had been, recovering the stone and brick blocks from the riverbed to restore its iconic crossing over the Adige.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ponte Pietra<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Porta Borsari<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Heading back towards the Arena, you\u2019ll find two more ancient monuments: Porta Borsari and the Arco dei Gavi. The former\u2014an imposing city gate dating back to the 1st century BC\u2014takes its name from the bursarii<\/em>, medieval officials who collected episcopal tolls. Originally called Porta Iovia because of a nearby temple dedicated to Jupiter, it now preserves only its external fa\u00e7ade<\/strong>, built in local white limestone, with two grand arches crowned by two tiers of windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Porta Borsari<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4. The Arco dei Gavi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Just a few steps away, the Arco dei Gavi<\/strong> commemorates the noble Roman Gavi family who commissioned its construction. Its story, however, is far from linear: built along the Via Postumia in the 1st century AD by the architect Lucius Vitruvius Cerdo\u2014whose signature is still visible\u2014it was demolished by the French during the Napoleonic occupation because it obstructed military traffic. Thankfully, its preserved fragments allowed it to be reassembled beside Castelvecchio in 1932, where it can still be admired today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Arco dei Gavi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5. The Scaliger Tombs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s impossible to talk about Verona without mentioning the Della Scala\u2014or Scaliger\u2014family, the powerful dynasty that ruled the city for over a century between the late 1200s and the 1300s. The heart of their power was Piazza dei Signori<\/strong>, still surrounded by historic buildings such as the Palazzo del Capitano and the Palazzo della Ragione. Their remains lie just a few steps away, in the Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs), a magnificent funerary complex beside the Church of Santa Maria Antica. Among the sarcophagi, the canopied tombs<\/strong> of Cangrande I, Mastino II, and Cansignorio stand out as outstanding examples of marble sculpture and decoration in pure Gothic style<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Arche Scaligere<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Museums and art venues: memorable collections and masterpieces<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beautiful both inside and out, Verona offers not only splendid walks among ancient monuments but also evocative museums and places of worship that preserve unique artistic treasures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castelvecchio Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The 14th-century Scaligero Castle, home to Verona\u2019s Civic Art Collections since 1926, underwent a remarkable and highly successful restoration in the 50\u2019s, carried out by architect Carlo Scarpa<\/strong> in collaboration with the museum\u2019s director, Licisco Magagnato.
Today it contains over 600 works<\/strong> spanning the Middle Ages to the 18th century. The Veronese school holds a place of honour in the collection, featuring works by Pisanello and Paolo Caliari \u2014 better known as Veronese \u2014 as well as superb examples of Venetian painting<\/a> by Jacopo and Giovanni Bellini, Jacopo Tintoretto, and Giandomenico Tiepolo.
Also on display are a remarkable group of Flemish paintings \u2014 portraits, still lifes<\/a>, and landscapes \u2014 alongside medieval sculptures from a single local workshop, and collections of coins, weapons, drawings, and prints.
Walking through its galleries and admiring the masterpieces is like reliving the artistic vibrancy <\/strong>of the Scaliger court and the city as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Museo di Castelvecchio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Basilica of San Zeno<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sober yet majestic, the Basilica of San Zeno was first built in the 9th century and has since preserved the relics of Verona\u2019s patron saint, <\/strong>from whom it takes its name. Various restorations have altered its appearance, which now largely matches that of 1138. The interior is divided into three levels: the pleban church with its grand columns and pillars, the crypt housing the saint\u2019s relics, and the presbytery church, home to the celebrated Pala di San Zeno by Andrea Mantegna<\/strong> (c. 1460). Commissioned by Abbot Gregorio Correr, the triptych has remained on its original altar since completion. A brief interlude, however, compromised its authenticity: seized by Napoleon\u2019s troops in 1797 and taken to France, it returned in 1815 minus its three predella panels, now kept in the museums of Louvre and Tours. The versions on display today are 19th-century copies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Basilica di San Zeno<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Sacra Conversazione, depicting the Madonna and Child enthroned and surrounded by contemplative saints, has nonetheless lost none of its magnetic charm, thanks to Mantegna\u2019s masterful hand \u2014 he also designed the frame himself. What gives the composition its originality is above all the unified treatment of the scene<\/strong> which, although divided into three panels, appears cohesive thanks to the shared setting and the landscape glimpsed behind the figures. The Madonna\u2019s halo, echoing the Romanesque rose window of the Basilica, is instead a charming tribute to the church itself.<\/p>\n\n\n