The Rough Guide to Venice and the Veneto

courtyard of which you’ll see fragments dating back to the eighth century,
the period of the church’s foundation. The narrow, plain interior, which dates
from the mid-twelfth century, is mostly notable for the women’s galleries on
the upper level and for a miscellany of columns, some banded in brick and soft
tufa stone; atop the columns in the transept are two capitals which date back
to Charlemagne and display his imperial eagle.
A short distance beyond the Palazzo Canossa, set back from the road on
the right, stands the Arco dei Gavi, a first-century Roman triumphal arch;
originally raised in the middle of the Corso, it was shifted to its present site
overlooking the Adige in 1932. This is the best vantage point from which to
admire the Ponte Scaligero; built by Cangrande II between 1355 and 1375, the
bridge was blown up by the Germans in 1945 – the salvaged material was used
for the plausible reconstruction. The stretch of shingle on the opposite bank is
a popular spot for picnics, sunbathing and just watching the river flow by – the
water’s rich colour comes from minerals deposited by the glaciers upstream.
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Vicenza, Verona and around
| Verona
The Castelvecchio
The fortress from which the bridge springs, the Castelvecchio (Mon 1.30–
7.30pm, Tues–Sun 8.30am–7.30pm; e4, or Verona Card, free on first Sun
of month), was commissioned by Cangrande II at around the same time, and
became the stronghold for Verona’s subsequent rulers, all of whom altered it in
some way – the last major addition, the small fort in the inner courtyard, was
built by Napoleon. Opened as the city museum in 1925, it was damaged by
bombing in World War II, but reopened in 1964 after scrupulous restoration
by Carlo Scarpa. Scarpa’s conversion of the Castelvecchio is one of his most
impressive projects, leading the visitor through a labyrinthine succession of
chambers, courtyards and open-air walkways – a route fascinating to explore
in itself, particularly given Scarpa’s subtle use of materials and textures. Halfway
through the itinerary, you’ll come face to face with the equestrian figure
of Cangrande I, removed from his tomb and strikingly displayed on an outdoor
pedestal; his expression is disconcerting from close range, his simpleton’s
grin difficult to reconcile with the image of the ruthless warlord.
The collection contains jewellery, sculpture, paintings, weapons and an
array of other artefacts; a real joy of this museum is in wandering round
the beautiful sculptures and frescoes by the often nameless artists of the late
Middle Ages. Of the later works of art, outstanding are two works by Jacopo
Bellini, two Madonnas by Giovanni Bellini, another Madonna by Pisanello,
Mantegna’s Holy Family, Veronese’s Descent from the Cross, a Tintoretto
Nativity, a Lotto portrait and works by Giambattista Tiepolo and his son
Giandomenico. Look out also for the extraordinary painting by Francesco
Caroto of a boy joyfully holding up a drawing he has made – a startlingly
genuine depiction of a child’s work.
San Zeno Maggiore
A little over 1km northwest of the Castelvecchio stands the Basilica di San
Zeno Maggiore (March–Oct Mon–Sat 8.30am–6pm, Sun 1–6pm; Nov–Feb
Tues–Sat 10am–1pm & 1.30–4pm, Sun 1–5pm; e2.50, or biglietto unico/
Verona Card), one of the most significant Romanesque churches in northern
Italy. A church was founded here, above the tomb of the city’s patron saint, as
early as the fifth century (Zeno was the bishop of Verona in the 460s), but the
present building and its campanile were put up in the first half of the twelfth
century, with additions continuing up to the end of the fourteenth century.