The romantic city of Verona is probably best known as the setting for Shakespeare's classic 'Romeo and Juliet', and the emotions are still in the air.
Every house with a fancy balcony brings to mind the tragic love story, but it was in the Casa di Giulietta that Romeo is said to have climbed up to his beloved. Verona is located in the middle of northern Italy, west of Venice in the Veneto region.
The city is undoubtedly beautifully situated on the crest of the Agides River at the junction of the Alps and the Po Valley, overlooking Lake Garda. In terms of size, Verona covers an area of just over 206 square kilometers. The population is around 260,000.
History of the city
Verona was first mentioned as a city in the 4th century BC and was previously a Roman province called Urbs Nobilissima. In 489, King Theodoric made the city the headquarters of military forces.
In the 14th century, the della Scala family took control of Verona and the city was then under the rule of Venice and Austria, among others, until 1866 when Verona became Italian.
Today Verona has the second most preserved monuments from the Roman era after the capital Rome, including the Arena di Verona amphitheater and the Teatro Romano. Its proximity to several wine regions such as Amarone, Valpolicella and Bardolino has also made Verona a major exporter of fine wines.
Attractions in Verona
Arena di Verona amphitheater
This Roman amphitheatre forms the center of Verona on Piazzan Bra and was built sometime in the first century AD. The Arena di Verona is the third largest amphitheater in Europe. Larger are the Colosseum in Rome and the amphitheater in Capua.
An earthquake in the 12th century severely damaged the outer wall of the arena, but four arches survived and remain today on the northwest side. During the summer, the arena is used as a stage for various ballet and opera performances and concerts. More than 20,000 visitors can be accommodated in the arena.
La Casa di Giulietta
It is home to La Casa di Giulietta, the famous house where Juliet from Shakespeare's classic work 'Romeo and Juliet' is said to have lived.
The house was then owned by the Dal Capello, or Capulet family, and the now famous house with the marble balcony where Romeo climbed up to his Juliet has a history that probably dates back to the 13th century.
Teatro Romano
The Roman theater was built more than 2000 years ago but then fell into disrepair and was even built over by other houses. The hero who decided in the 19th century to buy the whole area and excavate the remaining historical monuments was Veronese Andrea Monga.
The rest of the world has him to thank. Today, the theater is a popular venue for Shakespearean plays, among others.
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