Basilica of San Lorenzo

Europe,
Italy,
Verona,
Centro Storico
The Basilica of San Lorenzo in Verona is an authentic architectural gem, located in a hidden corner between the ancient Via Postumia and the right bank of the Adige. This Romanesque church, inspired by Burgundian models, was built in the 12th century on the remains of an earlier paleochristian basilica dating back to the 5th century. Its troubled history includes several reconstructions, especially after the devastating earthquake of 1117, which forced a radical restructuring of the building in Carolingian style. Access to the church is through a marble portal, characterized by Gothic and Renaissance elements, surmounted by a statue of San Lorenzo holding a gridiron, symbol of his martyrdom. Crossing a small courtyard, you reach the main facade, framed by two unequal circular towers containing the stairs to access the matroneums. These towers, built at different times, represent one of the rare examples of Norman architecture in northern Italy. The interior of the church, intimate and austere, is organized on a Benedictine Latin cross plan, divided into three naves. The central nave is covered by a wooden structure, while the side naves have ribbed vaults. The matroneums, located above the side naves, were traditionally reserved for women during religious functions. The columns and pillars separating the naves are decorated with carved capitals, including two capitals depicting eagles with outstretched wings, a clear reference to a passage from St. Ambrose. Among the works of art preserved in the church, the 16th-century altarpiece by Domenico Brusasorci on the main altar stands out, depicting the Virgin with Child among Saints. Other treasures include fragments of 13th and 14th-century frescoes and a 15th-century wooden icon in the apse to the right of the presbytery. The church also houses austere funerary monuments of the Nogarola and Romana Trivella families, adding another layer of history and meaning to this place of worship.
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