Verona in a nutshell

Ok so I stayed 1 block off of Piazza Bra' which is the "big open space" around the arena.  The name actually means big open space.  In the big open spac, there are the gardens with a fountain called " The Alps."  This was a gift from Munich, Verona's sister city.

Roman Arena

This arena is the 3rd largest arena in Italy and it was at one time, 50 percent taller than it is today.  It has been the home of gladiator battles, medieval executions, rock concerts, plays and operas.  (See my post about aida for more pictures of the arena.)

 Set pieces from one of the operas...not mine.

Devotional Column

In the Middle Ages, the column blessed the marketplace that was help here.

Porta Borsari

The main entrance to Verona which served as a toll booth.  To the left of the entrance, you can see a tomb since no one was allowed to be buried inside the city walls, imagine the street in the third picture, lined with tombstones.

 Tombstone

Piazza Erbe

This was the forum during Roman times in Verona...now it is filled with market stalls and at the far end is a column featuring St. Zeno, the patron of Verona. 

The House of Juliet

Ok this is for all the romantics I know (no longer one!) or the English teachers who teach Romeo and Juliet.  I did not wait in line since I visited lat year, but there is a bronze statue of Juliet and supposedly if you rub her left breast (I have done this) it will bring you love...ha!  You can also see the balcony which was supposibly where Juliet stood while speaking to Romeo.

 Juliet is the tiny statue on the lower right (there is a guy in a white shirt on the left side of her) and the balcony is in the upper right.

Chech out the whale bone...suppose to remind the townspeople there is a big world out there, brought home from a traveling merchant.

Piazza del Signori

Known to the locals as Piazza Dante, because of the statue in the center, has five centuries of buildings all confected by porticos.  Dante was granted asylum in Verona when he was excited from Florence.  The Piazza della Ragiome is across from Dante and it houses the only remaining Renaissance staircase and the Torre dei Lambarti.

Views from the top of the tower

I did not get a picture of the staircase, but I did get a picture of the gigantic spritz the serve across from the stairs!

Tombs of the Scaligeri Family

The Scaligeri family changed the city laws so they could be buried inside the city walls.  They forbade the presence of any noble family's but their own and by building their tombs on top of pillars, they arranged to be looked up to even in death.  The 14th Cebtury Gothic tombs, have the orginal wrought iron protective cages around them.

 Yep more dead people in there!

Church of Sant'Anastasia

This church was built between 13 and 15the centuries.  This is a demonstration of how medieval churchs were decorated at this time.  The facade was never finished but the interiors  is magnificent!  There are grimacing hunchbacks holding the holy water basins.

 The Crucifix Chapel

 Old frescos on the walls

The Centrego Alter

 The Pellegrini Chapel, covered with 24 tablets in terra cotta which tells the story of Christ's life.

 Pisanello's fresco of St. George and the Prince

The Presbitery

 The Lavagnoli Chapel with frescos of Jesus calls the first Apostles, The Cruifixion, and Jesus entering Capharnaum.

 The Faella Alter with the painting of  The Holy Redeemer with St. Erasmus ad St. George.

Ponte Pietra and River View

The white stones of the Ponte Pietra pedestrian only bridge are from the orginal Roman Bridge that once stood in its place.  After the bridge was bombed in WWII, the Veronese fished the stones out of the river and rebuilt the bridge.

The Duomo

Started in the 12th century, this cathedral took several hundred years to complete however, the bell tower is still incomplete.

Castelvecchio

The Scaligeri family built the castle as a residence and a fortress.

 It had a more around it and you can see how the doors where lowered and raised to seal the entrance.

Other pictures from Verona

 Church by the train station that was used by the military.

 Where the first Palio race was held....the winner got a prestigious prize, the second place won a chciken and the loser won a ham hock. The last place and second place had to walk around town with their winnings for day and people were allowed to cut off meat if they wanted it. (Picture above and below)

City walls with small stone entrances still located thought the city.

Roman Theater

Dating from about the time of Christ, this theater was discovered in the 19th century and restored.