OLTRE ADIGE, Part Ii

Our itinerary along the left bank of the Adige will take us to the ancient church of Santo Stefano, surrounded by the little houses of a working-class neighborhood. The Romanesque facade features the traditional alternating red and white stripes that distinguish Verona’s medieval architecture. The exterior has an octagonal dome with a double order of windows, clearly visible from the right side.

The dimly lit interior has a particular charm, and if you look carefully, you can recognize all the historical stages of its construction. The perimeter walls date to the 6th century, while the columns, capitals and cathedral are from the 8th century, and the crypt from the 10th.

At the start of the right-hand nave, you can see a chapel dating to 1620 that is one of the finest examples of Baroque decoration in the city.

This is the most spectacular stretch of the bank along the Adige, near Ponte Pietra, a faithful reproduction of the original bridge, part Roman and part medieval, after it was destroyed during the Second World War. The different materials used make it possible to identify the periods when the work was carried out. On the opposite bank, where the bridge is protected by a tower, you can see the bell towers and the rear parts of the Cathedral and Sant’Anastasia, the beautiful churches of the Old Town....