Page 207 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

verona  205

R San Giorgio in Braida animals and fish provide an
San Giorgio is a rare example in extensive account of today’s
Verona of a domed Renaissance living world, making this a
church. It was begun in 1477 good museum for visiting
by Michele Sanmicheli, an with children.
architect best known for his
military works. Sanmicheli Y Giardino Giusti
also designed the classically Fossilized fish from Verona’s Via Giardino Giusti 2. Tel 045
inspired altar, which is topped natural history museum 803 40 29. Open Apr–Sep: 9am–
by Paolo Veronese’s Martyrdom 8pm; Oct–Mar: 9am–7pm.
of St George (1566). This E Museo Civico di Storia Closed 25 Dec. & 7
celebrated painting is outshone Naturale Hidden among the dusty
by the calm and serene Virgin Lungadige Porta Vittoria 9. Tel 045 807 façades of the Via Giardino
Enthroned between St Zeno 94 00. Open 9am–5pm Mon–Thu, Giusti is the entrance to one
and St Lawrence (1526) by 2–6pm Sat, Sun & public hols. Closed of Italy’s finest Renaissance
Girolamo dai Libri. This work 1 Jan, Easter, 1 May, 25 Dec. & = gardens. They were laid out in
has a beautifully detailed Verona’s natural history 1580 and, as with other gardens
background landscape and a museum contains an of the period, artifice and
lemon tree growing behind the outstanding collection of fossils, nature are deliberately
Virgin’s throne. which can be enjoyed by juxtaposed. The lower garden
experts and newcomers alike. of clipped box hedges, gravel
Whole fish, trees, fern leaves walks and potted plants is
and dragonflies are captured in contrasted with an upper area
extraordinary detail. The fossils of wilder woodland, the two
were found in rock in the parts linked by stone terracing.
foothills of the Little Dolomites Past visitors have included
north of the city during the English traveller Thomas
quarrying for building stone Coryate, who, writing in 1611,
(see Bolca, p207). called this garden “a second
Human prehistory is paradise”. The diarist John
represented by finds from Evelyn, visiting 50 years later,
ancient settlements around thought it the finest garden
Lake Garda, and there are in Europe. Today the
reconstructions of original lake garden makes an excellent,
villages. On the upper floor, pictur esque spot for a
cases full of stuffed birds, quiet picnic.
Marquetry cockerel in Santa Maria
in Organo
R Santa Maria in Organo
Some of the finest inlaid
woodwork to be seen in Italy is
in this church. The artist was Fra
Giovanni da Verona, an architect
and craftsman who worked for
nearly 25 years, from 1477 to
1501, on these stunning
examples of illusionistic
marquetry. The seat backs in
the choir and cupboard fronts in
the sacristy are full of entertaining
detail. By clever interpretation of
perspective, Fra Giovanni gave
depth to flat landscapes,
depicted city views glimpsed
through an open window, and
created “cupboard interiors”
stacked with books, musical
instruments or bowls of fruit.
Most charming of all are the little
animal pictures – look out for the
rabbit on the lectern and the owl
and the cockerel in the sacristy. Italianate topiary and statuary in the Giardino Giusti

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