Verona

Verona is a beautiful city in the Veneto region of Italy. It is the largest city in northeastern Italy, with over 255,000 people living there. The city is very important for tourists because of its old buildings and many yearly festivals. One of the most famous places in Verona is the Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheater where operas are still performed today.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, Verona was ruled by the della Scala family. Under their leader Cangrande I della Scala, the city grew rich and powerful and was protected by new walls. Many monuments from that time can still be seen in Verona today.

Two famous plays by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, are set in this city. Even though Shakespeare may not have ever visited Verona, his stories have brought many visitors to the area. Verona is also known as the birthplace of Isotta Nogarola, one of the earliest and most important female humanists of the Renaissance. In November 2000, UNESCO declared Verona a World Heritage Site for its special architecture and city layout.

History

Main article: History of Verona

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Verona.

Verona has a long and interesting past, but the earliest parts are still a mystery, including how it got its name. One theory says it was first a city of the Euganei people, who then gave it up to the Cenomani around 550 BC. By about 300 BC, after the Romans took over the Po Valley area, Verona became part of the Roman world. It grew important because it sat where many roads crossed.

Later, the city saw many rulers come and go. Roman leaders fought against groups like the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths. In the Middle Ages, powerful families like the Scaligers ruled the city, building beautiful palaces and bringing famous thinkers like Dante to live there. Wars and changes in leadership were common, and the city often switched hands between different rulers.

In more recent times, Verona was part of many big changes in Europe. It was controlled by various powers, including the Austrians and the French, before becoming part of Italy in 1866. The city played important roles during both World Wars and later became a key place for military forces during the Cold War.

Geography

Climate

Verona has a humid subtropical climate, typical of Northern Italy's inland plains. Summers are hot, and winters are cool and humid. Lake Garda nearby has some influence on the city's weather. Humidity stays high all year, especially in winter, which can bring fog from dusk until late morning, though this happens less often now.

Demographics

In 2025, 255,133 people lived in Verona. About half are male and half are female. Young people make up a smaller part of the population than in the rest of Italy, and there are a bit more older people. The average age in Verona is 43, just a little more than the Italian average.

Between 2011 and 2021, Verona’s population grew a little, while Italy’s population went down. The number of babies born each year in Verona is a bit lower than in the rest of Italy.

In 2009, most people in Verona were Italian. Some people came from other European countries, South Asia, and Africa. Most people in Verona follow the Roman Catholic tradition, but there are also some Orthodox Christian and Muslim communities.

Government

See also: List of mayors of Verona

Since 1993, Verona has been led by its City Council, which meets in Palazzo Barbieri. Every five years, people in Verona vote for 33 council members and the mayor.

Verona is also the main city of its own area, called a province. The Provincial Council meets in Palazzo del Governo. The current mayor is Damiano Tommasi, who was elected in June 2022.

Main sights

See also: Monuments of Verona

See also: Category:Buildings and structures in Verona

Verona is a city with many important old buildings, which is why it was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its many monuments. The city has kept many ancient Roman buildings, like the big Arena, even though some were damaged by an earthquake of 3 January 1117. After that, many new buildings were made in a style called Romanesque.

Roman edifices

The center of Verona was once a Roman army camp. The city grew around roads that cross each other at right angles, and you can still see this layout from above. Under many modern buildings, there are old Roman parts hidden about 6 meters below the ground.

Verona is well-known for its Roman amphitheater, the Arena, located in the city's biggest square, the Piazza Bra. It was finished around 30 AD and is the third-largest in Italy. It could hold about 25,000 people who watched shows and gladiator games there.

The inside of the Arena is still in good shape and is used today for events, fairs, plays, and open-air opera performances in the summer.

Near the Roman market area is Piazza delle Erbe, which was rebuilt using stones from old Roman buildings.

There are many other Roman sights in Verona, like the Roman theatre of Verona. This theatre was built a long time ago but was covered by houses. In the 1700s, someone bought the houses and uncovered the theatre again. Close to it is the Ponte di Pietra ("Stone Wall Bridge"), another Roman bridge that is still standing.

The Arco dei Gavi is a gate built in the 1st century AD. It had the name of the person who built it carved on it. It was torn down by soldiers in 1805 but rebuilt in 1932.

Not far away is the Porta Borsari, an old gate from the Roman walls of the city. The road through it is called Corso Porta Borsari and has old buildings and a church nearby.

Porta Leoni is the remains of another Roman gate. You can see parts of the old street and the gate under the modern street.

The Santo Stefano church is one of the oldest in Verona and has many important old decorations inside.

Medieval architecture

The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is a big church built between 1123 and 1135. It has a tall tower and beautiful stonework outside. Inside, there are old paintings on the walls and a special ceiling made to look like the hull of a ship. The church also has a tomb of a saint named St. Zeno.

Piazza dei Signori is a pretty square from the Middle Ages with old buildings and a statue of a famous writer named Dante Alighieri.

The Basilica of San Lorenzo is a smaller church from the same time, with stone and brick walls and two tall towers.

Santa Maria Antica is a small church that was used by an important family long ago.

The Verona Cathedral, also called the Duomo, is another big old church.

Sant'Anastasia is a very large church where people would gather to listen to speeches. It has special art inside, including a famous painting.

The Castelvecchio Bridge is an old bridge that was once the biggest bridge arch in the world when it was built in 1356.

Sport

Verona is a city that loves sports! It has two professional football teams. The most famous team is Hellas Verona, which won the Italian championship in 1984–85 and played in the European Cup the next year. Another team, Chievo Verona, started in 1929 but stopped playing in 2021.

Verona also has teams for volleyball, rugby, and basketball. The city has hosted big international events, including the UCI Road World Championships and stages of the Giro d'Italia cycling race. In the future, Verona will host ceremonies for the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2026 Winter Paralympics.

Economy

Verona has many different kinds of jobs and businesses. It includes services, food, cars, fashion, and many other industries. Some big companies in Verona are leaders in their fields.

The city is also home to digital companies that started small and grew into well-known businesses. For example, there is a software company that makes flight simulation products for phones.

Infrastructure and transport

Public transit in Verona is managed by a local company called Azienda Trasporti Verona (ATV) since 2007. Long ago, from 1884 to 1951, the city had trams, but these were replaced by trolleybuses, and later by buses in 1975. A new trolleybus system is being built and will open in 2026.

An incline lift called the Verona funicular started operating in 2017. It helps people travel from Ponte Pietra to the Roman theatre museum and San Pietro Castle.

Verona is a key spot for trains, where lines from the north to south and east to west meet. This means trains can go to many places in Europe. The main train station, Verona Porta Nuova, is very busy, with about 68,000 people using it each day. There is also a smaller station called Porta Vescovo to the east.

Verona has its own airport, just 10 km southwest of the city. In 2024, over 3.7 million people flew from there. The airport has buses that go to the main train station. There are flights to many cities, including Rome, Munich, Berlin, and London, among others.

Notable people

Verona has been home to many famous people throughout history. Some well-known names include poets like Aleardo Aleardi and Catullus, painters such as Paolo Caliari, known as "Veronese," and composers like Stefano Bernardi and Antonio Salieri. The city also saw the birth of notable athletes, including cyclist Damiano Cunego and high jump champion Sara Simeoni. Famous fictional characters Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet from Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet also call Verona their home.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Twin towns – sister cities

Verona has special partnerships with these cities around the world:

• Albany, United States
• Johannesburg, South Africa
• Munich, Germany
• Nagahama, Japan
• Nîmes, France
• Pula, Croatia
• Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Belgium
• Salzburg, Austria

Friendship pacts

Verona also has friendly ties with:

• Ayacucho, Peru
• Bethlehem, Palestine
• Corfu, Greece
• Detmold, Germany
• Fresno, United States
• Hangzhou, China
• Kazan, Russia
• Korçë, Albania
• Košice, Slovakia
• Kragujevac, Serbia
• Namwon, South Korea
• Ningbo, China
• Prilep, North Macedonia
• Ra'anana, Israel
• Tirana, Albania
• Zhuji, China
• Zintan, Libya

In popular culture

Three famous plays by William Shakespeare take place in Verona. These plays are Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Some places in Verona are named after characters from these stories, like the House of Juliet and the House of Romeo. In May 2024, Pope Francis called Verona the city of love.