A charmin, relaxing stroll along the river
An interesting way to visit Verona is by walking along the River Adige. The walk that goes from Ponte delle Navi to Ponte Pietra is particularly rich in splendor. At the first bridge one discovers the magnificent church called San Fermo Maggiore, which is actually composed of two buildings, one over the other: the lower church was built by the Benedictines between 1065 and 1143, taking advantage of the foundation of a previous church dedicated to Saints Fermo and Rustico.
The upper church, contemporary with the lower, was then rebuilt in Gothic style during the 14th century by the Franciscan monks. Inside there are numerous sculptures and paintings, of which the most famous are the Annunciazione by Pisanello and a monument by Brenzoni, a Gothic masterpiece.
On the other side of the river, there is a magnificent building done by Sanmicheli which dates back to 1530: Palazzo Pompei, which houses the Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali (Museum of Natural History). Following the opposite side of the river, taking a street called Interrato dell’Acqua Morta (meaning “buried under dead water”), one reaches Piazza Isolo. The name reflects its original nature: it used to be a gravelly island in the middle of the Adige River. And then the island became part of the city when the smaller and slower branch of the river was filled in towards the end of the 19th century. Facing Piazza Isolo one finds the Church of Santa Maria in Organo. And when continuing towards Ponte Pietra, one encounters a statue dedicated to the famous painter Paolo Caliari, alias Il Veronese, and the famous Teatro Romano.
On the other side of the river one sees Santa Anastasia, which is the largest church in Verona, and which is a beautiful example of Italian Gothic, built in several phases, starting from 1290, however whose façade was never finished. The church, which is very rich in artworks, also houses the famous fresco San Giorgio e la Principessa, by Pisanello.
