Vérone (in Italian, Verona) is a very old Italian city, in the area of Venezia, (Plaine of Po), on banks of the Adige, near the Lake Garda.

Founded at first century BC, the historical city of Vérone knew periods of expansion to the XIII {{E}} and XIV {{E}} centuries and under the République of Venice. A remarkable number of monuments of the Antiquity, medieval time and Renaissance are preserved there.

Geography

History

Origin and prehistory

The city is supposed to be of Etruscan origin , but the first references date from fourth century BC. The Romans found there a tribe Gallic. Shortly after the invasion of the Cimbres (109 av. J. - C.), began the assimilation with the Latin culture.

Roman domination

The city adopted the Roman law in 89 av. J-C., and in 49 av. J-C became a Roman municipality. Located at the crossroads of three important roads (the via Postumia , the Gallica and the Caudia Augusta ), crossed by a grad river, Vérone will make the object attentions of the Roman impéreurs and suzerains who will follow.

The Middle Ages

The fall of the empire (476) constitutes only the most dramatic epilog of a deterioration which had been consumed with the two century old wire: at the 3rd century Gallien had made build another wall in all haste to stop the first great invasions. But at the 5th century the empire had collapsed under the pressure of Hérules of Odoacre. Twenty years later, it capitulates itself to the king of the Ostrogoths, Théodoric Large the. The battle of Vérone (489) sees the defeat of Odoacre, which, continued until Ravenne, where it is killed by Théodoric 493.

Théodoric makes of Vérone its preferred city and an important military center: it builds there also a large castle. After a reconquest by Justinien (553), the Lombards guided by Alboïne were right soon of the Romans (568). Lombards occupy Italy. In 774 Charlemagne demolishes Didier of Lombardy. Later, Pip of Italy, wire of Charlemagne, will make its residence of it. The Germanic Roman Holy roman Empire will finally yield it to its vassal, the duke of Bavaria.

The first democratic statutes (1136) which make city a commune push it to defy the German domination. The constitution of the Véronaise league, followed later share of the Lombarde League carries to the defeat of Frederic Barberousse in Legnano (1166). The expansions of the communes appears by a remarkable economic advancement, which involves a territorial expansion which corresponds about to the current Italian areas: the birth of the first seigniories however comprises the suppression of republican freedoms. In 1232, Ezzelino da Romano annexes Vérone with the Trévisane Mark and once again carries the city on the side of the empire. Alliance is celebrated by the marriage of Ezzelino with Selvaggia, girl of Frederic II of Hohenstaufen, in the church of San Zeno.

After the death of Ezzelin (1259) and the fall of the Gibelins, the city becomes still republic. Mastino della Scala, last capitain of the people, assassinated in 1277, is followed of Alberto, his/her brother, who makes of Vérone a principality under the control of the family of Scaligers. It is followed of its sons, Bartolomeo, Alboino and Cangrande: this small state then knows its greater splendor with Mastino II. After one century, the seigniory crumbles under its weight: devastated by the internal conflicts it precipitates in the hands of Visconti (1387), followed Carrara marble dukes at the beginning of the 14th century.

Modern age

The change of guarde of 1405 with Dédition in Venice, ensures, except for the imperial occupation (1509-1517) one long period of stability and prosperity, marked of an exceptional flowering of art during the rebirth. Almost four century later, the economic decline of the Republic of Venice sees it to collapse under the army of Napoleon (1796), but after a popular insurrection Véronais drives out it (1797). At this point in time it sells it in Autriciens (treated of Campoformio, 1797). The presence of the autricians is however transitory: Napoleon will take again Vérone in 1805, but the defeat of the French Army in Europe sees second returns of the autricians which will last one half-century. Vérone then becomes started from a vast reign septentrional which includes/understands Lombardy, Venezia, Trentin, Friuli. 1866 will have to be waited until, at 5 years of the national unification, so that Vérone is released (IIIe Guerre of Independence). According to a plebiscite, king de Sardègne the appendix with the Reign of Italy.

Contemporary age

The 20th century sees a great urban revival and industrialist: the old water mills of the Adige, which had survived intact since the Middle Ages disappear, replaced by industrial buildings. But the Great War spoils this prosperity: many véronais are sent to the face, the first bombs explode in Piazza Erbe. One counts already several deaths, but the 1994 carry the fall of the Autricien empire.

The distribution of its territories will be worth in Italy the annexation of Trentin and Friuli. The Second world war (1940-1945) imposes on the city a tribute even heavier: destruction of the majority of the churches, destruction of the 25% of the dwellings. After the arrest of Mussolini (July 25th, 1943), and the armistice of the Badoglio General with the Anglo-American ones Italy divides into two. A little later the fascists release Mussolini and carry it to north where they found the Republic of Salò, in opposition to the reign of Italy (southern).

Vérone becomes its strategic center: the Lawsuit of Vérone against the son-in-law of Mussolini and his more faithful officers, shown conspiracy, finishes with their shooting on Adige. The old fortress autrician of San Lorenzo is intended for the persecution of the antifascists and the Jewish ones. Lastly, pressed by the allies which have just entered to Milan after the execution of Mussolini by the partisans, German in retirement destroys the bridges: the bridge gotic of Castelvecchio and the Big shot della Pietra, masterpiece Roman which had remained intact during 2000 years, collapse in the river. The same year (1945) the allies and the partisans enter in Vérone: it is the release and the end of the war.

The rebuilding of the artistic inheritance is massive, but the prosperity of the post-war period allowed the creation of an enormous industrial district. The new zone of southern Vérone then increases agricultural fair (1948), that the president Luigi Einaudi inaugurates with the Central Station of Carried Nuova in 1949, and of the market of the fruits and the vegetables (Mercato Ortofrutticolo, 1952). In 1959 one attends the inauguration of the University (faculty of economy). The effort of pacification, is dedicated to the reconversion of the old prison of San Lorenzo in a dedicated church to the Virgin (Santuario beyond Madonna di Lourdes).

Carlo Scarpa is in charge of the restoration of Castelvecchio, transformed then into museum (1957-1964). In 1969 finishes the costruction of the Vérone-Mantoue feature of the highway of Brenner, centers which connects the city with Austria, the section of the highway network which connects Italy to the Central Europe. Very important operation, that one, from which also the tourists north-Europeans profit who invest especially in Lake Garda and the Graft Lirico Veronese (Opera). According to the expansion of industry, last the years of the century see the rise of the pole farmaceutic, related to the building of the new Faculty of Médicine and the hospital complex of Borgo Roma (Verona Southern).

Art

Vérone has the richest collection of Roman vestiges of all Italy of north. It is in particular famous for its Roman Amphithéâtre (see Arènes of Vérone), called Arena whose form and its use point out the Colisée of Rome. Its Ponte della Pietra (Bridge of Pierre) survived intact until the second world war (it was completely rebuilt stones fallen into the river).

The Arena is currently an important opera house. It was built about the middle of the 1st century on a site which at the time was located apart from the walls of the ville.
At the 3rd century, the emperor Gallien, when the cruel invasions threatened to destroy the city, made hastily build a second enclosure a great thickness, using the most heterogeneous materials: bricks, stones of river large and small, collected marble parts of other buildings or of lapidate. Only one element of this wall remains still today. It is behind the arenas while coming from Piazza delle Erbe.

The plays, ludii in Latin, were so famous there that the spectators came sometimes by far to see them. The amphitheater could contain more than 30.000 people and the most required events were the combat of gladiators. The frontage was originally out of white and pink limestone of Valpolicella, but during the Moyen-âge the Arena was useful like career to build other buildings. The exploitation lasted until the beginning of the 20th century. Consequently, the majority of the external wall disappeared, but the wings which remain us can give very well an idea of architecture and dimensions of the building.

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