Verona

To celebrate the successful end of the school year and the certificate, we first traveled to Verona, where we spent a whole day exploring the city. During long walks through the cozy streets, we took in the most famous landmarks, but Juliet’s Balcony was undoubtedly one of our most memorable stops. In the courtyard, which is balanced between legend and reality, you could almost feel the romantic and sad atmosphere of Shakespeare’s tragedy, as people lined up to catch a glimpse of the famous stone balcony.

Verona’s history began in ancient times, as its strategic location made it an important transport hub at the foot of the Alps. During the Roman era, the city flourished, as evidenced by the huge Arena, which is still one of the best-preserved ancient theaters in the world. During this period, Verona was one of the key military and commercial bases of the empire, where citizens lived their social lives in luxurious baths and spacious forums.

In the early Middle Ages, Verona was caught in the storms of migrations and became the seat of famous rulers such as the Ostrogoth Theodoric the Great. Later it became one of the most important cities of the Lombards and then part of the Frankish Empire, but its true golden age was reached under the rule of the Scaligeri family in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. During this period, the city’s characteristic red brick palaces, massive city walls and special fortifications were built, which still define the image of the center today.

At the end of the fourteenth century, the city lost its independence and came under the rule of the Duchy of Milan, and soon after, the Republic of Venice. Venetian rule lasted for several centuries, during which Verona experienced peaceful development, while the cityscape was enriched with elegant Renaissance palaces and ornate churches. Under the protection of the sea power, trade and the arts also gained new strength, but political control was no longer in the hands of the local nobles, but in the hands of the Venetian council.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the city’s life was turned upside down by Napoleon’s conquests, and then, according to the decision of the Congress of Vienna, Verona became part of the important defensive quadrangle as part of the Austrian Empire. The Austrians built a huge military fortification system, as the city played a key role in holding the northern Italian territories. Finally, after the wars of 1866, Verona joined the united Kingdom of Italy, thus ending centuries of foreign influence.

During its modern history, the city suffered greatly from the bombings of World War II, but thanks to the determination of the inhabitants, all the important monuments were restored. Today, Verona is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where Roman walls, medieval bridges and Renaissance squares form a harmonious unity.