Verona Walls

Our Romeo and Juliet's tour of Verona stops at the ancient city walls. The first structure of the medieval walls was built in the communal period, a period of bloody clashes of factions. The defensive structure of the city had an important role in the legend of Romeo and Juliet.

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Romeo goes on trial for the killing in a duel of Tybalt, Juliet's cousin. The law provides for the death sentence. The verdict, however, is lenient, and considers as an extenuating circumstance the desire for revenge for the death of Romeo's brotherly friend Mercutio. The sentence is commuted to exile..

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"There is no world without Verona walls,
But purgatory, torture, hell itself.
Hence-banished is banish'd from the world,
And world's exile is death..."

The Bra Gates

Like all medieval towns, Verona was surrounded by high and mighty walls. The city had not grown much since Roman times, and the new walls ran a few hundred meters to the south.
All around the Arena, between the old and the new walls, there was a large open space called "la Bra" in Veronese dialect. This was the main gateway to the city, called the Bra Gates. Still today the high embattled wall stands out with its two large arches flanked by the massive pentagonal tower.

Romeo's Exile to Mantua

The gates of the Bra are oriented in a southwesterly direction, perfectly in line with Mantua, Romeo's destination after his exile. If there is any truth to the tale of Romeo and Juliet, it is highly probable that it was through Bra Gates that Romeo left Verona.

Here was placed a bronze bust of William Shakespeare and a plaque quoting the famous lines spoken by Romeo.

There's no world without Verona walls

The lament of Romeo forced to abandon Verona and thus Juliet is one of the most famous passages in Shakespeare's tragedy. It is not at all present in the other previous versions of the story, the result of the Bard's creativity alone.
The common interpretation is that when Romeo speaks of a "world" that does not exist outside the walls of Verona, he is referring to Juliet, who has now become his only universe of reference.
However, the phrase can also be read within the historical context in which the story takes place. Verona at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries was a municipality in transition to the Signoria. At any rate, it was an independent city-state, like so many other cities in Italy. To move away from its walls meant to cross a state border towards an exile abroad where one would have found different customs and laws.
Once again it is surprising to see the knowledge that Shakespeare seems to have of the culture and historical events of the north-east of Italy, already shown in "The Merchant of Venice" and "Othello".

Romeo and Juliet's Tour

A walk with Juliet is an original and suggestive way to visit Verona. Ask a tour guide to accompany you to discover the Shakespearean places in Verona.