OLTRE ADIGE, Part Iii

A brief, slightly uphill detour will take you into the sheltered urban setting where you can admire the simple beauty of the Romanesque Church of San Giovanni in Valle, built in the late 12th century. The unusual feature of the interior is that the central nave, unlike in most churches, is narrower than those at the sides.

The crypt, dating to an earlier construction period, is also very interesting.

As you descend again towards the river, you’ll come to the important Church of Santa Maria in Organo, built for the monks of the Olivetan monastery, beginning in 1481. This is one of the most exquisite Renaissance buildings in Verona.

The facade is almost completely covered by a portico, built around the mid-16th century. The side of the church is especially attractive with its pointed spires and a splendid bell tower, probably designed by Fra Giovanni da Verona, an Olivetan monk who worked for many years in the monastery as an architect and intarsia craftsman.

The pleasant, graceful interior is covered in joyful decoration painted by artists from Verona in the early Renaissance. Below the high altar is an ancient crypt, with slender columns and capitals from the 8th century....