Miracles and Marble: Exploring Verona’s Basilica of San Zeno
One of the most iconic buildings in Verona is the Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore, a Romanesque-style structure famous for housing Romeo and Juliet’s wedding chamber.
The Adige River overflowed during King Auteri and Princess Teodolinda’s wedding, endangering the lives of Veronese citizens. But the floodwaters miraculously stopped when they approached the Basilica of San Zeno. The eighth bishop of the town, San Zeno, recounted this extraordinary incident and several more ascribed to the fourth-century AD religious figure.
A Portal to the Past: The Historical Significance of San Zeno
This magnificent sacred Romanesque structure, which dates back to approximately 1398, was erected in honor of the saint, a native of Mauritania. In the ninth century, the first church—that of the well-known wedding—was destroyed. At the start of the 10th century, the Hungarians destroyed it once more after it was rebuilt at King Pepin of Italy’s request. With the help of Otto I, the German emperor, Bishop Raterio was able to secure the funding required to reconstruct the basilica in 967. However, the 1117 earthquake, which necessitated a new reconstruction roughly two decades later, continued to plague the events of San Zeno (also known as San Zeno Maggiore or San Zenone). With a few minor modifications to the apse and ceiling, architects Nicol and Giovanni da Ferrara ultimately created the abbey basilica, one of Verona’s must-see attractions.
Architectural Marvels: Exploring San Zeno’s Romanesque Splendor
The church was built using the traditional Veronese architectural style, which alternates strips of various materials and colors outside. The large circular rose window by Brioloto, which is adorned with six statues, adds beauty to the facade. The “wheel of fortune,” as it is also known, is a representation of one of the earliest Romanesque windows, which the Gothic style later adopted.
The prothyrum, which dates back to the 12th century, was constructed by Master Niccolò. Its roof was held up by two lion-adorned columns, which stood for the building’s protectors. The sides of this building (as well as the portal) feature high reliefs from the 12th century that suggest reading both sacred and profane episodes from bottom to top.
The abbey’s 48 panels, which tell the stories of saints and historical figures like San Zeno, San Pietro, San Paolo, and Matilda di Canossa and her husband Goffredo, are of exceptional beauty. They were created in bronze by various artists and belong to the tenth and twelfth centuries.
Inside San Zeno: A Journey Through Art and Devotion
The crypt’s ceiling is supported by 49 columns with various capitals, and inside is a sarcophagus containing San Zeno’s remains and a silver mask covering his face. This is the traditional location of the marriage of Shakespeare’s famous Romeo and Juliet.
The presbytery on the upper floor of the Plebeian church, which has three naves and a fourteenth-century wooden ceiling, is reached by two staircases that begin from the side naves.
The statue of the laughing San Zen, a city symbol, is located in the left apse, while the sarcophagus containing the remains of three Veronese bishops—San Crescenziano, San Lucillo, and San Lupicin—is housed in the main altar. Dating back to the 12th century, this red marble sculpture depicts the patron saint of freshwater fishermen and the Veronese.
The Italian Renaissance masterpiece, the altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna, was stolen in 1797 by Napoleon’s troops. The copy that is on display in the church today was made by one of Paolo Veronese’s disciples. The most significant of San Zeno’s frescoes is the 14th-century Crucifixion by Altichiero, which is located in the northwest section of the basilica.
Built of tuff and terracotta, just like the basilica, the stunning bell tower is 72 meters high and separate from the church. Only the octagonal bell known as “Figar,” which dates to 1149, is still intact today. Bell tower construction began in 1045 and continued until 1173. They listened to it during storms.
When visiting San Zeno, visitors can enter the cloister through the church’s left nave, where they can see tombs, frescoes, and a newsstand that used to be the friars’ washroom.
Tickets and timetables
Open daily from March to October from 8.30 to 18, and on Sundays from 12.30 to 18, the sacred building in Piazza San Zeno 2 is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. from November to February, and from 12.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Sunday mornings are reserved for religious ceremonies; as a result, tourists are unable to visit the basilica.
The ticket is good for entry to the Duomo, the Church of San Fermo, and the Church of Sant’Anastasia. It costs 6 euros. With a Verona Card, admission is free.