Mazzini Street

Via Mazzini, in the heart of Verona, is one of the oldest and most prestigious pedestrian streets in Europe. Built in the fourteenth century, it connects the two main squares of the city: Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe. Originally known as Via Nuova, the street partly follows a Roman decumanus, a sign of its ancient origin. Gian Galeazzo Visconti, lord of Milan, had a series of medieval houses demolished to create this central artery, which was meant to facilitate the passage between the city’s two most important squares. Over the centuries, Via Mazzini has undergone many transformations. Until the nineteenth century, it was unpaved and occupied by the roofs of artisan shops. It was only in 1818 that it was paved with marble, thanks to a collection among residents. The marble pavement significantly contributed to transforming the street, making it emerge as one of the most elegant and frequented streets in Verona. In 1907, the Verona City Council decided to name the street after Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian patriot of the Risorgimento, in homage to his contribution to the struggle for the independence and unity of Italy. Today, Via Mazzini is the bustling heart of Verona’s shopping scene, known for its uninterrupted sequence of high-fashion stores and international brands. Among the boutiques, one can find illustrious names such as Armani, Gucci, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, and many others, making the street an unmissable destination for luxury shopping enthusiasts. Fast fashion chains and specialized stores are also present, offering a wide range of options for all tastes and budgets. In addition to being a shopping paradise, Via Mazzini is rich in historical and architectural details. One of the most significant buildings is the Loggia Arvedi, built in 1816 according to the design of the Veronese architect Giuseppe Barbieri. This neoclassical building features a facade with a protruding central body and round arches decorated with lion and Mercury heads. On the first floor, the loggia with Ionic columns and an elliptical balustrade adds a touch of elegance to the building, which is topped with a tympanum decorated with a relief depicting Hercules and the Nemean lion. At the end of Via Mazzini, towards Piazza Bra, there is a fourteenth-century shrine with sculptures of Saint Mark, Saint Anthony Abbot, Saint James, and the Madonna, a detail that testifies to the city’s long religious and artistic history. The area is also historically significant for the presence of inscriptions commemorating two young Veronese killed by the Austrians in the 1860s, a reminder of the tumultuous Risorgimento period that saw Verona at the center of the struggles for independence. The historical and cultural importance of Via Mazzini is also reflected in the surrounding structures. Near the street, there are important buildings and monuments such as the Church of San Tomio and the Church of San Fermo, as well as the famous House of Juliet, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. The central location of Via Mazzini makes it an ideal starting point for exploring other attractions in Verona, such as Corso Porta Borsari, Castelvecchio, and the Scaliger Arches.