Avesa, San Michele Extra, San Massimo all'Adige, Quinzano, Quinto di Valpantena, Poiano di Valpantena, Parona di Valpolicella, Montorio Veronese, Mizzole, Marchesino, Chievo,Cà di David e Moruri
Verona (/vəˈroʊnə/və-ROH-nə,Italian:[veˈroːna]ⓘ;Venetian:Verona orVeròna) is the largest city in the region ofVeneto inItaly, with 255,131 inhabitants.[2] It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest citymunicipality in the region and innortheastern Italy. Themetropolitan area of Verona covers an area of 1,426 km2 (550.58 sq mi) and has a population of 714,310 inhabitants.[3] It is one of the main tourist destinations inNorthern Italy because of its artistic heritage and several annual fairs and shows as well as theopera season in theArena, an ancientRomanamphitheater.
Between the 13th and 14th centuries, the city was ruled by thedella Scala family. Under the rule of the family, in particular ofCangrande I della Scala, the city experienced great prosperity, becoming rich and powerful and being surrounded by new walls.[4] The della Scala era is preserved in numerous monuments around Verona.
Two ofWilliam Shakespeare's plays are set in Verona:Romeo and Juliet (which also features Romeo's visit toMantua) andThe Two Gentlemen of Verona. It is unknown if Shakespeare ever visited Verona or Italy, but his plays have lured many visitors to Verona and surrounding cities. Verona was also the birthplace ofIsotta Nogarola, who is said to be the first major femalehumanist and one of the most important humanists of theRenaissance.[5] In November 2000, the city was declared aWorld Heritage Site byUNESCO because of its urban structure and architecture.
The precise details of Verona's early history remain a mystery along with the origin of its name. One theory is that it was a city of theEuganei, who were obliged to give it up to theCenomani (550 BC). With the conquest of the Valley of thePo, the Veronese territory became Roman about 300 BC. Verona became a Romancolonia in 89 BC. It was classified as amunicipium in 49 BC, when its citizens were ascribed to the Roman tribePoblilia orPublicia.
The city became important because it was at the intersection of several roads.Stilicho, a military commander in theRoman army, defeatedAlaric and hisVisigoths here in 402. Later, Verona was conquered by theOstrogoths in 489, and theGothic domination of Italy began.Theoderic the Great was said to have built a palace there. It remained under the power of the Goths throughout theGothic War (535–552), except for a single day in 541, when the Byzantine officerArtabazes made an entrance. The defections of the Byzantine generals over the booty made it possible for the Goths to regain possession of the city. In 552 the Romans under the generalValerian vainly endeavored to enter the city, but it was only when the Goths were fully overthrown that they surrendered it.[6]
In 569, it was taken byAlboin, King of theLombards,[7] in whose kingdom it was, in a sense, the second most important city. There, Alboin was "killed by his own people with the connivance of his wife" in 572.[8] The dukes of Treviso often resided there.Adalgisus, son ofDesiderius, in 774 made his last resistance in Verona toCharlemagne, who had destroyed the Lombard kingdom.[9] Verona became the ordinary residence of thekings of Italy, the government of the city becoming hereditary in the family of CountMilo, progenitor of the counts ofSan Bonifacio. From 880 to 951 the two Berengarii resided there.
WhenEzzelino III da Romano was electedpodestà in 1226, he converted the office into a permanent lordship. In 1257 he caused the slaughter of 11,000 Paduans on the plain of Verona (Campi di Verona).[clarification needed] Upon his death, the Great Council elected Mastino I della Scala as podestà, and he converted the "signoria" into a family possession, though leaving theburghers a share in the government. Failing to be re-elected podestà in 1262, he affected a coup d'état, and was acclaimed Capitano del Popolo, with the command of the communal troops. Long internal discord took place before he succeeded in establishing this new office, to which was attached the function of confirming the podestà. In 1277, Mastino della Scala was killed by the faction of the nobles.
The reign of his son Alberto della Scala as capitano (1277–1302) was a time of incessant war against the counts of San Bonifacio, who were aided by the House of Este. Of his sons, Bartolomeo, Alboino andCangrande I della Scala (1291–1329), only the last shared the government (1308); he was great as warrior, prince, and patron of the arts; he protectedDante,Petrarch, andGiotto. By war or treaty, he brought under his control the cities ofTreviso (1308),Vicenza (1311), andPadua (1328). At that time before theBlack Death, the city was home to more than 40,000 people.[12]
Cangrande was succeeded byMastino II (1329–1351) and Alberto, sons of Alboino. Mastino continued his uncle's policy, conqueringBrescia in 1332 and carrying his power beyond theMincio. He purchasedParma (1335) andLucca (1339). After theKing of France, he was the richest prince of his time. A powerful league was formed against him in 1337 –Florence,Venice, theVisconti, theEste, and theGonzaga. After athree-year war, theScaliger dominions were reduced to Verona andVicenza (Mastino's daughter Regina-Beatrice della Scala married toBarnabò Visconti). Mastino's sonCangrande II (1351–1359) was a cruel, dissolute, and suspicious tyrant; not trusting his own subjects, he surrounded himself with Brandenburgian mercenaries. He was killed by his brother Cansignorio (1359–1375), who beautified the city with palaces, provided it with aqueducts and bridges, and founded the state treasury. He also killed his other brother, Paolo Alboino. Fratricide seems to have become a family custom, for Antonio (1375–1387), Cansignorio's natural brother, slew his brother Bartolomeo, thereby arousing the indignation of the people, who deserted him whenGian Galeazzo Visconti ofMilan made war on him. Having exhausted all his resources, he fled from Verona at midnight on 19 October 1387, thus putting an end to the Scaliger domination, which, however, survived in its monuments.
Antonio's sonCanfrancesco attempted in vain to recover Verona (1390). Guglielmo (1404), natural son of Cangrande II, was more fortunate; with the support of the people and theCarraresi, he drove out theMilanese, but he died ten days after. After a period of Cararrese rule, Veronasubmitted to Venice (1405). The last representatives of the Scaligeri lived at the imperial court and repeatedly attempted to recover Verona by the aid of popular risings.
This articleis missing information about the history of Verona in modern times. The next paragraphs are too generic, unbalanced, and incoherent. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on thetalk page.(March 2025)
From 1508 to 1517, the city was in the power of theEmperor Maximilian I. There were numerous outbreaks of theplague, and in1629–1633, Italy was struck by its worst outbreak in modern times. Around 33,000 people died in Verona (over 60% of the population at the time) in 1630–1631.[13]
The advent offascism added another dark chapter to the annals of Verona. Throughout Italy, the Jewish population was hit by theManifesto of Race, a series of anti-Semitic laws passed in 1938, and after the invasion byNazi Germany in 1943, deportations toNazi concentration camps. An Austrian Fort (now a church, the Santuario della Madonna di Lourdes), was used to incarcerate and tortureAllied troops, Jews andanti-fascists, especially after 1943, when Verona became part of theItalian Social Republic.
During Austrian rule Verona became of great strategic importance to the regime.Galeazzo Ciano,Benito Mussolini's son-in-law, was accused of plotting against the republic; in ashow trial staged in January 1944 by the Nazi and fascist hierarchy atCastelvecchio (theVerona trial), Ciano was executed on the banks of the Adige with many other officers on what is today Via Colombo. This marked another turning point in the escalation of violence that would only end with the final liberation by allied troops and partisans on 26 April 1945.
After World War II, as Italy joined theNATO alliance, Verona once again acquired its strategic importance, due to its geographical closeness to theIron Curtain. The city became the seat of SETAF (South European Allied Terrestrial Forces) and had during the whole duration of theCold War period a strong military presence, especially American, which has since decreased.
Verona has ahumid subtropical climate characteristic of Northern Italy's inland plains, with hot summers and cool, humid winters, even thoughLake Garda has a partial influence on the city.[14] Therelative humidity is high throughout the year, especially in winter when it causesfog, mainly from dusk until late morning, although the phenomenon has become less and less frequent in recent years.
Climate data for Verona (Villafranca Airport) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1946–present)
As of 2025, 255,133 people are residing in Verona, of which 47.9% are male and 52.1% are female. Minors total 14.1% of the population and pensioners number 26.2%. This compares with the Italian average of minors making up 14.9% and pensioners making up 24.7%.[20] The average age of Verona residents is 43 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the 10 years between 2011 and 2021, the population of Verona grew by 1.4%, while Italy as a whole declined by 0.7%.[21] The currentbirth rate of Verona is 9.24 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.45 births.
Since the local government political reorganization in 1993, Verona has been governed by the City Council of Verona, which is based inPalazzo Barbieri. Voters elect directly 33 councilors and the mayor of Verona every five years.
Verona is also the capital of its own province. The Provincial Council is seated inPalazzo del Governo. The current mayor of Verona isDamiano Tommasi, elected on 26 June 2022.[24]
Verona has traditionally been a right-wing traditionalist Catholic city, reflecting its former status as one of the major cities ofItalian Social Republic, and the right-wing politics of the Veneto region. In October 2018, Verona became the first city in Italy to declare itself pro-life, and hosted the AmericanChristian right lobby groupWorld Congress of Families' conference in 2019.[25][26][27] Despite this, since the mayors became directly elected in 1994, the city has elected two left-wing mayors - Paolo Zanotto in 2002 and current mayor Damiano Tommasi in 2022, largely due to incumbent mayorFederico Sboarina's refusal to include center-right parties in his right-wing coalition.[28]
Because of the value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been inscribed on theUNESCO World Heritage List as the siteCity of Verona: a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its Monuments. Verona preserved many ancient Roman monuments (including the magnificentArena) in theearly Middle Ages, but many of its early medieval edifices were destroyed or heavily damaged by theearthquake of 3 January 1117, which led to a massiveRomanesque rebuilding. TheCarolingian period poemVersus de Verona contains an important description of Verona in the early medieval era.
TheRoman military settlement in what is now the center of the city was to expand through thecardines anddecumani that intersect at right angles. This structure has been kept to the present day and is clearly visible from the air. Further development has not reshaped the original map. Though the Roman city with its basalt-paved roads is mostly hidden from view it stands virtually intact about 6 m (20 ft) below the surface. Most palazzi and houses have cellars built on Roman structures that are rarely accessible to visitors.
Verona is famous for itsRomanamphitheater, theArena, found in the city's largest piazza, thePiazza Bra. Completed around 30 AD, it is the third-largest in Italy after Rome'sColosseum and theAmphitheatre of Capua. It measures 139 meters (456 ft) long and 110 meters (360 ft) wide, and could seat some 25,000 spectators in its 44 tiers of marble seats. Theludi (shows andgladiator games) performed within its walls were so famous that they attracted spectators from far beyond the city. The current two-storyfaçade is actually the internal support for the tiers; only a fragment of the original outer perimeter wall in white and pinklimestone fromValpolicella, with three stories remains. The interior is very impressive and is virtually intact, and has remained in use even today for public events, fairs, theatre, and open-airedopera during warm summer nights.
There is also a variety of otherRoman monuments to be found in the town, such as theRoman theatre of Verona. This theatre was built in the 1st century BC, but through the ages had fallen in disuse and had been built upon to provide housing. In the 18th century Andrea Monga, a wealthy Veronese, bought all the houses that in time had been built over the theatre, demolished them, and saved the monument. Not far from it is thePonte di Pietra ("Stone Wall Bridge"), another Roman landmark that has survived to this day.
TheArco dei Gavi was built in the 1st century AD and is famous for having the name of the builder (architectLucius Vitruvius Cordone) engraved on it, a rare case in the architecture of the epoque. It originally straddled the mainRoman road into the city, now Corso Cavour. It was demolished by French troops in 1805 and rebuilt in 1932.
Nearby is thePorta Borsari, an archway at the end of Corso Porta Borsari. This is the façade of a 3rd-century gate in the original Romancity walls. The inscription is dated 245 AD and gives the city name asColonia Verona Augusta. Corso Porta Borsari, the road passing through the gate is the originalVia Sacra of the Roman city. Today, it is lined with severalRenaissancepalazzi and the ancientChurch of Santi Apostoli, a few meters from Piazza delle Erbe.
Porta Leoni is the 1st century BC ruin of what was once part of the Romancity gate. A substantial portion is still standing as part of the wall of a medieval building. The street itself is an openarchaeological site, and the remains of the original Roman street and gateway foundations can be seen a few feet below the present street level. As can be seen from there, the gate contains a small court guarded by towers. Here, carriages and travelers were inspected before entering or leaving the city.
TheSanto Stefano church is dedicated to the first Christian martyr, was erected in thePaleochristian era, and houses the burials of the first bishops of Verona. Throughout the centuriesSaint Stephen underwent complex architectural transformations. Particularly striking is the rare two-story ambulatory, probably built to give pilgrims visual access to the abundant collection of important relics for which the church was famous. Also to be visited is the cruciform crypt with its forest of columns, arches, and cross vaults. Saint Stephen was the first Christianmartyr and, according to the Acts of the Apostles, was stoned just outside Jerusalem, in a place still remembered today, near the so-called "Porta Leoni".[29]
San Zeno Basilica, like many other Veronese churches, is built with alternating layers of white stone and bricks.
TheBasilica of San Zeno Maggiore is aRomanesque style church, the third such structure on its site, built from 1123 to 1135, over the 4th-century shrine to Verona'spatron saint,St. Zeno (bishop of Verona from 362 to 380[30] when he died). Thefaçade dominates the large square, and is flanked with a 72-meter-tall (236 ft)bell tower, which is mentioned byDante in Canto 18 of Purgatory in theDivine Comedy. The weathered Veronese stone gives a warm golden glow, and the restrained lines of the pillars, columns, and cornices, and the gallery with its double windows, give the façade an air of harmonious elegance. The hugerose window is decorated as aWheel of Fortune. The lintels above the portal have carvings of the months of the year. Each side of the doorway is embellished with 18bas-relief panels of biblical scenes, and the innerbronze door panels have 48 primitive but forceful depictions of Biblical scenes and episodes from the life of St Zeno. The meaning of some of the scenes is now unknown, but the extraordinarily vivid energy of the figures is a superb blend of traditional andOttonian influences. The interior of the church is divided into the Lower Church, occupying about two-thirds of the structure, and the Upper Church, occupying the remainder. The walls are covered with 12th and 14th centuryfrescos and the ceiling of thenave is a magnificent example of a ship's keel ceiling. The vaultedcrypt contains the tomb ofSt. Zeno, the firstBishop of Verona, as well as the tombs of several other saints. North of the church is a pleasant cloister. The church also houses the tomb of KingPippin of Italy (777–810).
TheBasilica of San Lorenzo is another Romanesque church, albeit smaller. It dates from around 1177, but was built on the site of aPaleochristian church, fragments of which remain. The church is built of alternating tracks ofbrick and stone, and has two cylindrical towers, housing spiral staircases to the women's galleries. The interior is sober but still quiet. The striped bands of stone and brick and the graceful arches complement the setting.
TheVerona Cathedral, also known as the Duomo, is a notable Romanesque church.
Sant'Anastasia is a huge and lofty church built from 1290 to 1481 by theDominicans to hold the massive congregations attracted by their sermons. The Pellegrini chapel houses the frescoSt. George and the Princess of Trebizond byPisanello as well as thegrave of Wilhelm von Bibra. An art festival is held in the square each May.
TheCastelvecchio Bridge, also known as Ponte Scaligero, is a segmentalarch bridge. At the time of its completion in 1356, it was the world's largest bridge arch. It has a span length of 48.70 m (159.78 ft).
Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, which was used as a venue at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, is home to Verona's major football club Hellas Verona.
The city has two professionalfootball teams. Historically, the city's major team has beenHellas Verona. They won the ItalianSerie A championship in1984–85 and played in theEuropean Cup the following year.Chievo Verona representedChievo, a suburb of Verona, and was created in 1929. However, they ceased to exist in 2021 due to outstanding tax payments. As of the 2021–22 season, Hellas plays in the first division ofItalian football,Serie A, whileVirtus Verona, the other club in the city, plays in theSerie C. The teams of Hellas and Chievo contested theDerby della Scala and shared the 38,402-seaterStadio Marcantonio Bentegodi (now only home to Hellas due to the folding of Chievo), which was used as a venue at the1990 FIFA World Cup.
Verona is home to the volleyball teamVerona Volley (now in Serie A1), the rugby team Franklin and Marshall Cus Verona Rugby (now in Serie A1), and the basketball teamScaligera Basket (now in Legadue).
The city has twice hosted theUCI Road World Championships, in1999 (withTreviso as co-host) and in2004. The city also regularly hosts stages of theGiro d'Italia annual cycling race. Verona also hosted the baseball world cup in 2009, and the Volleyball World Cup in September–October 2010. Verona is hosting the Volleyball Women's World Championship in September–October 2014.[31]
Verona has a diversified economy spanning services, agri-food, automotive, fashion, and industry. Some of the companies based in the city are major players in their respective industries, including:
Examples of Veronesedigital economy startups that became mature, well-established companies includeRORTOS, a software developer centered on flight simulation products for mobile.[32]
Public transit has been operated by the provincial public transport company,Azienda Trasporti Verona (ATV), since 2007. From 1884 to 1951, the city was served by theVerona tram network [it].Trolleybuses replaced thetrams which were themselves replaced by buses in 1975. A new trolleybus network is currently under construction by ATV and is expected to open in 2026.[33]
Verona lies at a major route crossing where the north–south rail line from theBrenner Pass to Rome intersects with the east–west line between Milan and Venice, giving the city rail access to most of Europe. In addition to regional and local services, the city is served by direct international trains to Zurich, Innsbruck, and Munich. ÖBB nightjet provides overnight sleeper service via Verona on its La Spezia to Wien and München lines.[34]
Verona's main station isVerona Porta Nuova railway station, to the south of the city center. It is considered to be the ninth busiest railway station in Italy, handling approximately 68,000 passengers per day, or 25 million passengers per year.[35]
There is a lesser station to the east of the city atPorta Vescovo, which used to be the main station in Verona, but now only receives trains between Venice and Porta Nuova.
Verona Airport is located 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Verona.[36] In 2024, passenger traffic amounted to more than 3.7 million people.[37] It is linked to Porta Nuova railway station by a frequent bus service.[38]
There are direct flights between Verona andRome Fiumicino, Munich, Berlin, Moscow, Naples, Frankfurt, Catania,London Gatwick, Dublin, Palermo, Cork, Manchester, Liverpool[39] and Cagliari among others.
^Ghosh, Shami (2015).Writing the Barbarian Past: Studies in Early Medieval Historical Narrative. BRILL. pp. 134–136.ISBN978-90-04-30581-6.Paul obviously felt it appropriate to expand considerably on the terse narrative contained in his (written) sources, adding the motifs of alcohol, provocation, seduction, and of course the gory skull-cup, instead of saying simply—as all other written sources do—that Alboin was killed by his own people, with the connivance of his wife.
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