Page 204 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

202  THE VENE T O AREA B Y AREA

Verona: San Zeno Maggiore
Built between 1120 and 1138 to house the
shrine of Verona’s patron saint, San Zeno is
northern Italy’s most ornate Romanesque
church. The façade is embellished with
marble reliefs of biblical scenes, matched
in vitality by bronze door panels showing
the miracles of San Zeno. Beneath an
impressive rose window, a graceful porch
canopy rests on two slim columns. A brick
campanile soars to the south, while a squat
tower to the north is said to cover the
tomb of King Pepin of Italy (777–810). Nave Ceiling
The nave has a magnificent example of a ship’s-keel
ceiling, so called because it resembles the inside of
an upturned boat. This ceiling was constructed in
1386, when the apse was rebuilt.

Altarpiece
Andrea Mantegna’s three-part altarpiece
(1457–59) depicts the Virgin and Child
with various saints. The painting served
as an inspiration to local artists.

KEY
1 Striped brickwork is typical of
Romanesque buildings in Verona.
Courses of local pink brick are
alternated with ivory-coloured tufa.
2 The campanile, started in 1045,
reached its present height of 72 m
(236 ft) in 1173.
3 The sanctuary rood screen
has marble statues of Christ and
the Apostles, dating from 1250,
ranged along it.
4 The rose window symbolizes
the Wheel of Fortune: figures
around the rim show the rise and
fall of human fortunes.
5 Marble side panels, carved in
1140, depict events from the life of
Christ to the left of the doors, and . Cloister
scenes from the Book of Genesis North of the church the fine, airy cloister (1293–1313)
to the right. has rounded Romanesque arches on one side and
pointed Gothic arches on the other.

202-203_EW_Venice.indd 202 8/18/17 11:16 AM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.4)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm