Shakespeare's Verona

The tragic story of Romeo and Juliet is a legend, nobody can tell if the two unlucky lovers of Verona ever lived. Nevertheless, like in every legend, there are many elements of the story that have link to real places and historical facts. For example the bloody struggle between Guelfs and Ghibellins, the two factions that fought for power in the middle age. The Montecchi family (Montague in the English version) really existed in Verona, and lived in that sort of middle age fortress which is now considered Rome's house.
Dante, who was in Verona at the time in which the events are fought to have happened, in the Purgatorio, wrote a short and mysterious verse about the two families.
Shakespeare wasn't the first to write about the sad story, he based his tragedy on some italian versions (by Luigi da Porto and Matteo Bandello) quite popular in Italy and Europe at that time and that were probably based on some kind of oral tradition.
In various versions, there are references to historical facts and characters, places and buildings so that through the centuries, tradition has identified some city buildings with the places where the story took place: Juliet's house (with the family crest), Romeo's house, the 13th century gate through which Romeo left Verona in exile, Juliet's tomb, in the only existing monastery outside city walls at that time.
All these places can be visited, and on many of them are attached plates or inscriptions, remembering the tragic event.

The shakespearian places in Verona can be visited with a special tour following all the historical references to the story.

For further information:

info@veronissima.com