Two famous open air theatres

The Arena is the symbol of Verona. Built in the first half of the I century AD, it  has become the side for musical performance par excellence: since the beginning of the twentieth century it hosted the Opera season, a prestigious festival renowned for the excellence of the performers and the magnific scenery, as well as for the amphitheatre’s perfect acustic.

The structure of the Arena was build mainly with stones from Valpolicella. Its highest part. The so called “ala” constitutes the remains of the of the external ring, ant it is 30 m high. The second ring with two orders of 72 arches is well preserved. Inside, the cavea consists of 44 elliptical rows of stairs, which can be accessed through 64 vomitoria. It can host up to 22.000 people.

The roman Theatre was build around the end of the I century AC. It is located at the feed of the hill of San Pietro, facing the Roman city centre and on the other side of the river Adige. What remains of the original structure of the theatre are the cavea and the rows of stairs, as well as some tiers of loggias and the relevant remains of the stage.

From June to September the Roman Theatre hosts the Veronese Summer Festival, with music, dance and theatre performances, in particular the renowned Shakespearean Festival. By crossing the stalls area and climbing the western staircase you can reach the former cloister of San Girolamo, which has hosted the Archaeological Museum since 1924.