The San Zeno Basilica is perhaps one of the most important churches for the Veronese, as it houses the tomb of the patron saint of the city. It is also one of the most fascinating examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy, and for this reason if you are visiting Verona, you should definitely make time to visit it. A rough ten-minute walk from Castelvecchio and around fifteen from the Verona Arena, it is the ideal place to include in your city tour, added to which the district in which it is located is full of corners and views that will make you fall in love with it!

The San Zeno basilica was built in honour of San Zeno, the eighth bishop of Verona, who was then sanctified. At the time, the basilica was located on the edge of the city but soon became a pilgrimage destination, and an increasing number of people went there to pray. This resulted in the church being expanded, commissioned by King Pepin, and consecrated on 8 December 806. In the following years the church suffered much devastation caused by the barbarians, especially the Hungarians. In the 11th century it was further expanded but the earthquake that struck the area in 1117 destroyed a large part of the basilica which was still being restored. The works resumed immediately and lasted for over 20 years. The result of this renovation is the building that we can still admire today. The place where the church stands was the one where San Zeno used to fish, near the Adige river which is nowadays restricted by the regaste. The figure of the saint is linked to many legends, the most famous of which was narrated by Pope St. Gregory the Great. It is said that in 589 the Adige broke its banks, flooding the entire city, but the water stopped right in front of the church and, despite its level having reached that of the windows, it was unable to enter the building.

The San Zeno basilica has a Latin cross plan, with three naves and is divided into three levels. The crypt is located below, dominated by the parish church which in turn is dominated by the presbytery, which is accessed via two marble stairways. The pleban church is the largest part of the basilica, and is characterised by cross-shaped columns alternating with other simple columns. All have Corinthian capitals that support round arches. The central staircase leads to the crypt, divided into 9 naves with arches supported by 49 columns, the place where the saint’s body is kept. His face is covered with a silver mask while the remains are wrapped in a bishop’s robe.

A characteristic feature of the basilica are the frescoes that decorate the walls, the baptismal font from the 12th century and the large marble statue of San Zeno smiling and holding the pastoral staff from which hangs a fish. But the work that most attracts visitors from everywhere is the Altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna, a masterpiece of Renaissance art of the time. Commissioned in 1457d.C. by the abbot Gregorio Correr, it consists of a triptych representing the Madonna with the Baby Jesus, in the central panel, surrounded by the saints, depicted in the side panels. The work is enclosed in a wooden frame, essential to define the space of the scene. The San Zeno Altarpiece actually marked the beginning of a new artistic era in which the artists of the time, inspired by Mantegna, gave way to the Veronese Renaissance. Before ending your visit, we recommend that you also visit the cloister, which can be accessed via the left aisle of the basilica. This quiet and peaceful place offers an original view of the basilica and the bell tower and is an ideal place to spend some down time. The area is also home to a number of ancient tombs, medieval frescoes and the aedicule that contained the friars washhouse.

A distinctive feature of the San Zeno Basilica is its chromatism, that is, the alternation of red and white tones of the façade, attributable to the tuff and marble. The façade of the church is decorated with a rose window, called ruota della fortuna or wheel of fortune, which represents one of the first Roman windows, then also handed down to the Gothic era. Below it is the porch, a structure supported by columns resting on lions. Finally, take in the magnificent portal formed by two wooden doors, each decorated with 24 bronze panels, representing scenes from the New and Old Testament. Above the lintel of the door there is a lunette decorated with scenes relating to the life of San Zeno, while on its sides there are bas-reliefs with a religious and secular theme. On the top of the façade there is a triangular pediment in white marble, crossed by seven pillars in pink marble. The Basilica is surrounded by other buildings: the bell tower, on the right, built in the same style as the basilica, contains the oldest bells in the city; on the left are the remains of a Benedictine abbey of which only the cloister and crenellated tower remain.

The San Zeno district is one of the most popular in the city. With its ancient houses with coloured walls, lively squares and its proximity to the Adige river, it resembles a small village in its own right, even if it is just a few minutes’ walk from the historic centre. The district, which developed around the basilica, is full of life: not only around Piazza San Zeno, but also in the area surrounding Piazza Corrubbio where you can find bars, cake shops, restaurants and ice cream parlours. Furthermore, every first Sunday of each month, the district hosts an antiques fair, called Verona Antiquaria, which is extremely popular. The market is open from 8.00 to 17.00 from November to March, and from 8.00 to 18.00 from April to October. Over 200 exhibitors from Northern Italy participate, selling various antiques, such as furniture, collectibles, prints, clothes and much more besides.

San Zeno is also the district that inspired the tradition of Papà del Gnoco, the main figure of the Veronese Carnival, known as Bacanal del Gnoco. In fact, in the late Middle Ages, Tommaso da Vico, a noble and wealthy citizen, ordered his heirs to distribute annually to the inhabitants of San Zeno food and beverages, including gnocchi. At that time the city of Verona was actually in the grip of a famine due to the flooding of the Adige and the invasions by the Lanzichenecchi. It was in San Zeno that the people rose up, storming the ovens and it was only thanks to the intervention of a number of citizens who helped the poorest inhabitants that the revolt was quelled. These also included Da Vico. The most famous mask of the Verona Carnival, and the oldest in Europe, is Papà del Gnoco, which symbolises the benefactor. He is represented as an old man with a long white beard, who holds a large fork as a sceptre, in which a gnocco or dumpling is skewered. Traditionally, Papà del Gnocco had to be born in the San Zeno district and be elected from among its inhabitants, but for some years now any Veronese citizens have been able to stand for this position.