Verona, Italy

They say that Verona is one of those places you fall in love with before you visit them. Although it is underestimated as a destination, this Italian city fascinates only when you say its name.
Verona is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Italy. Verona is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, the second largest city in the region and the third largest in northeastern Italy. The Verona metropolitan area covers an area of ​​1,426 square kilometers. and is one of the main tourist destinations in northern Italy for many reasons - because of its artistic heritage, annual fairs, shows, operas, because of the ancient amphitheater built by the Romans, and not least because of Romeo and Juliet. The city of Verona has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its urban structure and architecture.
It was William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet that was performed in Verona. In fact, it is not known whether Shakespeare ever visited Verona or Italy at all, but his plays have attracted many visitors to Verona and surrounding cities. The exact details of Verona's early history remain a mystery. One theory is that today's city in the past was the city of Eugene. With the conquest of the Po Valley, the territory of Verona became Roman (around 300 BC).
Over time, Verona became a very important city, as it is located at a key intersection of several major roads. In 489, the Ostrogoths conquered Verona, and then began the Gothic rule of Italy. Theoderic the Great is said to have built his palace in Verona. The city remained under Gothic rule throughout the Gothic War (535-552), except for one day in 541, when the Byzantine officer Artabazas managed to enter the city. However, his mistakes of greed allow the Goths to regain power over the city.
In 569, the King of the Lombards, Alboin, conquered Verona and under his leadership the city became the second most important. Alboin was killed in Verona by his wife in 572. Charlemagne destroyed the Lombard kingdom. Verona became the usual residence of the kings of Italy, the rule of the city became hereditary and passed only to the family of Count Milo, ancestor of the Counts of San Bonifacio.
From 1508 to 1517 the city was ruled by Emperor Maximilian I. There were numerous outbreaks of plague, and in the period 1629-1633 Italy was hit by the worst epidemic. About 33,000 people died in Verona between 1630 and 1631.
Verona was occupied by Napoleon in 1797, but on the Monday after Easter the population rose and expelled the French. Verona became Austrian territory when Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio in October 1797. The Austrians took over the city on January 18, 1798. The city was taken from Austria by the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805 and became part of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy but returned. in Austria after the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, when it became part of the Austrian kingdom of Lombardy-Venice. In 1866, Verona, along with the rest of Venice, became part of United Italy.
The rise of fascism adds another dark chapter to the history of Verona. As throughout Italy, the Jewish population was affected by the Manifesto of Race, a series of anti-Semitic laws passed in 1938, and after the invasion of Nazi Germany in 1943, the deportation of prisoners to Nazi concentration camps. The Austrian fortress was used to detain and torture Allied troops, Jews and anti-fascists, especially after 1943, when Verona became part of the Italian Social Republic.
As during the Austrian rule, Verona remains of great strategic importance. Galeazzo Ciano, son-in-law of Benito Mussolini, was accused of plotting against the republic and was executed on the banks of the Adige along with many other officers. This was another turning point in the escalation of violence.
After World War II, after Italy joined NATO, Verona regained strategic importance due to its proximity to the Iron Curtain. The city became the seat of SETAF (Southern European Allied Forces) and had a strong military presence throughout the Cold War, especially in the United States, which has only declined in recent years. Today, Verona is an important and dynamic city, very active in terms of economy, and also a very important tourist destination, thanks to its history, where the Roman past lives side by side with the Middle Ages, which in a sense contributes to its unique architecture.
Verona Airport is located 10 km southwest of Verona. It handles about 3 million passengers a year and is connected to Porta Nuova Train Station, which has a regular bus service. There are direct flights between Verona Airport and Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Munich, Berlin, Moscow, Naples, Frankfurt, Catania, Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Gatwick, Dublin, Palermo, Cork, Manchester, Vienna Schwechat, Liverpool and Cagliari.
Due to the value and importance of its many historic buildings, Verona has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Verona has preserved many ancient Roman monuments (including the magnificent Arena) from the early Middle Ages, but many of them and many of its early medieval buildings were destroyed or severely damaged by the earthquake of January 3, 1117, which required them to be subjected to massive reconstruction. 

Roman buildings as part of Verona's rich architectural heritage. The Roman military settlement is a structure that has been preserved to this day and is clearly visible from the air. The Roman city with its paved roads stands almost intact about 6 meters below the surface. Verona is also famous for its Roman amphitheater Arena, which is located on the largest square in the city - Piazza Bra. It was completed around 30 AD and is the third largest in Italy after the Roman Colosseum and the Capua Arena. It is 139 meters long and 110 meters wide and can accommodate about 25,000 spectators in its 44 levels of marble seats. The Crazy shows and gladiatorial games were so famous and spectacular that they attracted spectators from other cities. Its interior is very impressive and almost intact. The amphitheater has remained in use to this day, being used for public events, fairs, theaters and opera on warm summer nights.
The city also has a number of other Roman monuments, such as the Roman Theater in Verona, built in the 1st century BC. Not far from it is the Ponte di Pietra, another Roman landmark that survives to this day.
The Arco dei Gavi was built in the 1st century AD and it is known that the name of its builder is engraved on it - the architect Lucius Vitruvius Cordon, which is a rare case for the architecture belonging to this era. Near it is the arch of Porta Borsari. The inscription dates from 245 AD. and gave the city its name as the Verona Augusta Colony. 
Porta Leoni has been ruined since the 1st century BC and was part of the Roman city gate. Much of it still stands as part of the wall of a medieval building.
The brightest preserved examples of medieval architecture are:
- The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is a Romanesque church, the façade of which dominates the large town square. It is surrounded by a beautiful bell tower with a height of 72 meters. Its weathered Verona stone gives a warm golden glow, and the restrained lines of the columns, cornices and the gallery with double windows give the facade a harmonious elegance. The longitudinal partitions above the portal are decorated with wood carvings depicting the months of the year. Each side of the door is decorated with biblical scenes, and the interior bronze doors have 48 primitive but powerful images of biblical scenes and episodes from the life of St. Zeno. In the vaulted crypt is the tomb of St. Zeno, who was the first bishop of Verona, as well as the tombs of several other saints. To the north of the church is a pleasant monastery. The church also houses the tomb of King Pippin of Italy (777-810);
- The Basilica of San Lorenzo is another Romanesque church. It dates from around 1177 and was built on the site of a Paleo-Christian church, fragments of which are preserved to this day. The church is built of alternating paths of brick and stone, and has two cylindrical towers, which are spiral staircases to the women's galleries;
- Santa Maria Antica is a small Roman church that serves as a private chapel of the Scaligeri clan and is famous for its Gothic tombs;
- Santa Anastasia is a huge basilica built between 1290 and 1481 by the Dominicans to host massive congregations attracted by their sermons. In the chapel of Pellegrini are the famous frescoes "St. George ”and the Princess of Trebisund of Pisanello, as well as the tomb of Wilhelm von Bibra;
When we talk about romance, some seem to prefer fantasy to reality. Juliet's house in Verona is completely covered with fairytale dust. Shakespeare's Juliet is not based on a real person, and the house has nothing to do with history. However, you will always find large crowds of people from all over the world who come here to experience the fantasy.
The house, which is present in the story of the unhappy lovers, was once inhabited by the Capello family - a name similar to the Spanish version of Capuleti - and dates back to the 13th century, although the famous balcony was not added until the 20th century. The courtyard is proud of the statue of Juliet, and visitors can participate in the popular ritual of rubbing his right breast for good luck in love, although she herself had very little. Inside the house you will find a small and extremely crowded museum with Renaissance costumes and the actual bed used in the 1968 film adaptation of Franco Zephyrelli's story.
Although most of everything in this house is fiction, the emotions that attract people to it are real. The walls under the balcony are completely covered with graffiti and notes from visitors who want to be guided in love, many of which are attached with gum. The notes tell the stories of the visitors' past, their problems and their hopes for the future. However, the Verona City Council has set new rules to prevent the practice, as these practices have damaged the walls. Instead, they have provided removable panels for anyone wishing to participate in the custom. It seems that all this mess of paper waste, chewing gum and human emotions may be a little too real for a fantasy house.