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Two Castles of Verona
 Rita Mailheau
Once upon a time there was a beautiful and ancient city in northern Italy named Verona. The Imperial Romans colonized it in 89 BC. Poet Gaius Catullus was born here in 84 BC. Vitellius and Vespasian, both in the Roman legions and later emperors, fought civil wars here.
The Romans, known for their engineering feats and love of basic comforts, erected a number of fine buildings here including a theatre, a circus, a capital, and some temples and bridges. The ruins of one of its castles, the Castel de San Pietro, now rests upon the site where the capital once stood. Overlooking the beautiful Adige River, the hillside also boasts an abandoned villa, the Roman Theatre, now restored and in use, and an archeological museum. If you like camping, you're in luck. The city provides a campground here that is just perfect for summer traveling.
The setting for Romeo and Juliet, Verona is a city of romance but has a darker side. The second of the two castles, the Castelvecchio [Old Castle], completed in 1356, by ruler Cangrande II della Scala. Cangrande's excess and abuse drove his half-brother Fregnano, a daring young knight to take the city with the aid of 800 warriors. Sadly, Fregnano's rule was brief and the retribution savage. Afterwards Cangrande built the Castelvecchio to guard against the dangers of further rebellion. He did not allow his widowed mother or his younger brothers, Cansignorio and Paolo, to live in the new compound. In 1359, after hearing of a plot to kill himself and Paolo, Cansignorio killed Cangrande. The few followers Cangrande had with him that fateful night did nothing to take up arms against his killers.
Besides the two castles, scenic Verona has many other Roman and Medieval attractions. With great restaurants, hotels, transportation, and friendly people, Verona is a great place to visit.
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