Guide of Verona Itineraries Churches in Verona, Italy

Verona center Churches In Verona, Italy

Santa Maria Matricolare, the Cathedral of Verona. Built on the site of a previous Early Christian church and consecrated in 1187, the Cathedral has a façade which is a perfect composite of Romanesque and Gothic forms. The grandiose porch, consisting of a double baldachin supported by columns resting on stylised lion figures, is particularly striking. The portal is the work of Nicolò, the same artist who was responsible for the porch of San Zeno church; here he sculpted various figures, including prophets and animals, the legendary heroes dear to the Middle Ages and Biblical figures. Higher up on the facade are spires and pinnacles which create an ever lighter effect towards the top. The bell-tower, the lower part of which is Romanesque, reveals the hand of Sanmicheli in the central section, while the uppert part was completed by Fagiuoli in 1926. The interior is divided into three naves, with composite pillars of red marble supporting the ponderous arcades from which the cruciform vaults diverge. The church contains numerous works of art, among them the splendid tomb of St. Agatha, created by an unknown master in 1353 and above the altar in the Nichesola Chapel, is the only work painted by Titian in Verona, "the Assumption".


San Lorenzo, a masterpiece of Verona's Romanesque style, stands on the site of a former Early Christian church, fragments of which can still be seen in the entrance courtyard. Its construction dates back to about 1117, but it was partly rebuilt in succeeding eras. Immediately noticeable from the outside are the typical alternating bands of stone and brick and the original architectural motif, of Norman derivation, of the two cylindrical towers which lead to the women's galleries. Inside the church, one is struck at once by the rigorous structural emphasis of its design. The solemnity of the Romanesque style, seen in the rhythmic order of cruciform pillars alternated with double arches and supporting the women's galleries, is subtly and skilfully moderated by the play of colour in the dark and light bands along the walls, creating a mystical atmosphere.


The Basilica of San Zeno, Romanesque masterpiece, dedicated to the patron Saint of Verona, counts among its numerous works of art a triptich by Mantegna and doors decorated with 48 bronze panels protraying Biblical scenes.

Other important churches and monuments are: Santo Stefano, San Siro, the basilica of San Fermo, the churches of SS. Apostoli, San Nazzaro, SS. Trinità, S. Maria in Organo, Tombs of Scaligeri, Castelvecchio.