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After visiting the Duomo of Verona, we decided to head across the Adige River and visit the Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano) and archaeological museum in the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Verona.
Stone Bridge
To get to the theatre, we had to cross the Stone Bridge (Ponte Pietra), an ancient Roman arch bridge crossing the river. The oldest bridge in Verona, it was completed around 100 BC. Four of the arches were destroyed by retreating Nazi troops during World War II but the bridge was reconstructed in 1957 using original materials.
There are some nice views of the city along the river from both sides of the bridge. We could also spot the former monastery of San Girolamo, which sits just above the Roman Theatre.
Archaeological Museum at the Roman Theatre
The theatre and museum are combined as one attraction, with the museum housed in the former monastery just above the theatre. Admission is €9 for adults, €6 for seniors over 65, €2 for visitors aged 18-25, and free for children up to 17 and holders of the Verona Card (as of August 2024). It’s open daily except Mondays.
Theatre
We first visited the Roman Theatre, which was completed in the late 1st century BC. Most of the seating area is intact but only pieces of the rest of the building remain.
Just above the the theatre is the former monastery (see below). The small Church of Santi Siro e Libera (Chiesa dei Santi Siro e Libera), was built into the seating area. It was built in the 10th century and restored in the 14th century, well before the excavation of the theatre began around 1830.
Museum
The Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico), as mentioned earlier, is housed in the former monastery of San Girolamo, which was built in the 14th century. The museum moved in and opened in 1924. It displays several archaeological finds from throughout Verona.
We first visited the Sacred Inscriptions Room, which includes a mosaic found at a Roman villa in Piazza Brà, statues, and inscriptions dedicated to several Roman gods.
Next, we walked through the cloister and the Church of San Girolamo (Chiesa di San Girolamo). The church displays several mosaics found in Verona. You can also see a few frescoes in the apse.
Our visit to the museum continued through the terrace, where large pieces of columns and funerary monuments are displayed.
From the terrace, there are amazing views of the city and the theatre below. It’s easy to spot several of the taller landmarks.
The rest of the museum was indoors, with busts, bronze figures, and other artifacts behind glass.
Conclusion
Overall, it was an enjoyable visit to the museum. We liked walking through the theatre and were impressed by the views, and the pieces in the museum were interesting.
