Verona has been of commercial and strategic importance since Roman times. It is not exactly known when the city was founded, but it was already an important settlement before its conquest by Rome in 89 B.C. During the barbarian invasions of Rome in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. Odoacer made it his fortress, while Theodoric later made it his favorite residence. Later, Verona became the seat of a Lombard duchy and then of Frankish counts. In the 12th century, the city was made a free commune. Along with various communes of Venetia, Verona formed (1164) the Veronese League in 1164, which three years later joined the Lombard League in opposing Emperor Frederick I. Verona was ruled by Ezzelino da Romano from 1226 to 1259.
Verona was divided into two camps during the strife between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines in the 13th and 14th century. The story of Romeo and Juliet embodies that strife. Romeo's family were members of the former, while the latter were Juliet's family. In the 1260's, the Ghibelline Della Scala, or Scaligeri, family became lords of Verona. Under Can Francesco della Scala, also known as Can Grande, the city reached its greatest power. He ruled Verona from 1291 to 1329. His successors gradually lost all the city's possessions and in 1387 Verona fell to Milan. Venice conquered it in 1405 and the city fared well until 1797, when Venetian rule ended.
During the Renaissance, Verona produced major artists, including the architects Giocondo and Sanmichele and the painters Pisanello and Paolo Veronese, who embellished both Verona and Venice. In the 19th century, Austria, which then ruled Venetia too, made Verona one of its chief fortresses in northern Italy. The Congress of Verona was held in the city in 1822. It was the last European conference held under the provisions of the Quadruple Alliance of 1814. After Austrian rule of Venetia was ended as a result of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Verona joined the kingdom of Italy.
Because of its strategic position Verona was the target of heavy Allied bombings in World War II and suffered considerable damage. It was further damaged by retreating Germans in April 1945. After the war, reconstruction of the damaged buildings was began quickly and nowadays Verona boasts numerous interesting sights.
Amongst them is the Romanesque Church of San Zeno Maggiore, which was constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It has a fine 1459 triptych by Mantegna. Another Romanesque building is the city's cathedral. It was built between the 12th and 15th centuries. There is also a large Roman amphitheater in Verona. It dates from the 1st century A.D. Other sights include a Roman theater and the castle and bridge of the Scaligeri, both of which date from 1354. The Gothic tombs of the Scaligeri are also in town, as well as the Gothic Church of Sant' Anastasia. That church was built between the 13th and 15th centuries. The Giusti Gardens were established around 1580 and the Renaissance-style Loggia del Consiglio dates from the 15th century.
Verona is an important transportation junction because of its position on the Adige River in northeastern Italy, on the Brenner road to central Europe. The city is also a major industrial and agricultural center, where annual agricultural fairs are held. Its diversified manufactures include food and paper products, textiles, metals, machinery and chemicals. Handicrafts using metal and marble and the manufacturing of wine are two other important industries.
Accommodation and restaurants are widely available in Verona. The city has excellent rail and road connections with the rest of Italy. Verona is 410 km northwest of Roma (Rome).
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