OLTRE ADIGE Part I

2:25

The Oltre Adige neighborhood, around Verona Old Town.

 

All it takes is a look at a map to see that the historical nucleus of the city developed along a long bend of the Adige River.

Spread over this flat urban space, on the right bank of the river, is a network of roads of Roman origin that make up an orderly, densely packed checkerboard of streets and squares.

The first hills start almost immediately beyond the river.

The wide riverbed is crossed by centuries-old bridges, and the banks make up a sort of lengthy balcony, where you can enjoy beautiful views.

This itinerary offers the chance to discover a large number of extremely interesting buildings located along the left bank which is less popular with tourists, yet full of pleasant surprises.

 

You can start from Ponte Garibaldi, the bridge near the Cathedral, and follow the riverbank, maintained as a park in this area, with high walled embankments built in the 19th century to protect the city from flooding.

 

Within the large ring of the Scaliger walls, you’ll soon reach the Renaissance Church of San Giorgio in Braida, easily recognizable thanks to the large round dome designed by Michele Sammicheli around 1530. The large, single-nave interior has a barrel-vaulted ceiling, and is flanked by superb sixteenth-century chapels.

There is a hugely important series of paintings from the 16th century, including the organ shutters by Gerolamo Romanino of Brescia, a Baptism of Christ by Tintoretto on the interior facade, as well as many other works from the same period.

On the high altar is the large Martyrdom of Saint George, featuring many characters and undoubtedly the finest work that Paolo Veronese left in the city of his birth.  

The crystal-clear light and the bright colors are typical of the central phase of the great painter’s activity.

 

An interesting fact: a distinctive feature of the left bank is the imposing Castel San Pietro, an ancient fortress turned into barracks by the Austrians in the mid-19th century. The building is partially concealed by cypress trees. If you visit it, I suggest you take a walk up to the esplanade, which offers the finest views of the Old Town.

TravelMate recommends
Choose the option
that suits you
Buy Verona
Permanently unlock the app with all content of Verona for
€ 7,99
Buy
Promotion
Unlock audio content of all available cities for 3 years at the promotional price
€ 19,99
Buy
Don't miss out!
VERONA INTRODUCTION
1 Audio

VERONA INTRODUCTION

There’s a lot more to Verona than this. Although it’s not a large city, it boasts an enviable number of monuments and masterpieces from all periods of history.Inhabited since the Stone...
THE WONDERS OF LOCAL CUISINE
1 Audio

THE WONDERS OF LOCAL CUISINE

The most characteristic first dishes include risottos, such as the famous risotto all’Amarone, made with plenty of Amarone red wine, or risotto with Verona red radicchio, riso coi bisi (rice...
ARENA
1 Audio

ARENA

There are few cities in the world like Verona that can boast such a spectacular entrance to the Old Town.The usual access is through the double arch known as “Portoni di Bra”, a remnant of...
OLD TOWN
3 Audio

OLD TOWN

Let’s start out from Piazza delle Erbe, in the heart of the Old Town. This spectacular and popular piazza, with its slender, tapered shape, has for some 2000 years maintained its original...
CASTELVECCHIO
5 Audio

CASTELVECCHIO

Three sturdy stone towers facing the city and long rows of merlons distinguish the fortress, built in 1354 both for defensive purposes and as a noble residence. One of the city’s most important...
BASILICA OF SAN ZENO
2 Audio

BASILICA OF SAN ZENO

Originally built outside the city walls, on the burial site of the bishop and patron saint of Verona, the Basilica of San Zeno is one of the purest masterpieces of Romanesque architecture in Italy,...
CATHEDRAL
2 Audio

CATHEDRAL

Dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary under the designation of Santa Maria Matricolare, the Cathedral was consecrated in 1187. Built over the remains of more ancient buildings, it was altered and expanded...
BASILICA OF SANTA ANASTASIA
2 Audio

BASILICA OF SANTA ANASTASIA

The simple, austere facade is unfinished, and only the bottom part is decorated with a large portal in the center featuring fine sculptures from the 14th century.Now press pause and press play again...
OLTRE ADIGE
3 Audio

OLTRE ADIGE

All it takes is a look at a map to see that the historical nucleus of the city developed along a long bend of the Adige River. Spread over this flat urban space, on the right bank of the river, is a...
TravelMate App
DOWNLOAD NOW
THE TRAVELMATE APP
Purchase your activation code, download the TravelMate App, and turn your smartphone into your personal travel companion!
Listen to audio guides about the wonders of the world with TravelMate.
HAVE FUN!