Castelvecchio Bridge

The Scaliger Bridge, also known as the Castelvecchio Bridge, is one of the most iconic symbols of Verona and a masterpiece of medieval military engineering. Built between 1354 and 1356 by the will of Cangrande II della Scala, the bridge connected the Castelvecchio fortress to the opposite bank of the Adige, ensuring the lord a safe escape route in case of siege or popular revolts. With its three large hump-back arches in red brick and white stone, the bridge reaches a maximum height of 48 metres in the central arch, at the time the longest brick span in the world.

The architecture of the bridge is typically Scaliger military: crenellated walkway with Ghibelline swallow-tail merlons, watchtowers at the ends, loopholes for archers and bombardiers, and a very robust structure designed to withstand enemy attacks and the devastating floods of the Adige. The mighty stone pillars were built on deep foundations in the river bed, while the brick arches were created with the technique of "centring", using temporary wooden frameworks to support the bricks during laying. The bridge was blown up by the Germans in retreat in April 1945, destroyed together with other Veronese bridges to slow the Allied advance.

In the post-war period it was faithfully rebuilt between 1949 and 1951 recovering from the bed of the Adige the original stone blocks and reusing them in the reconstruction. Today the Scaliger Bridge is pedestrian and offers a spectacular panoramic walk over the Adige, Castelvecchio, the historic centre and the Veronese hills, particularly evocative at sunset when the golden light illuminates the medieval red bricks.

Scaliger construction and the military defensive function of the fortified bridge

The Scaliger Bridge was built between 1354 and 1356 by Cangrande II della Scala, lord of Verona, as an integral part of the Castelvecchio defensive system. The bridge served a dual function: allowing the lord to flee quickly to the countryside in case of siege or palace conspiracies, and militarily controlling the passage over the Adige preventing enemies from entering the city from the west. The strategic position connected the Scaliger fortress to the opposite bank where the agricultural territories loyal to the Scaligeri extended.

The engineering of the bridge was at the cutting edge for the era: the three hump-back arches (asymmetrical ogival arches) distributed the weight optimally on the pillars, the central arch 48 metres long was the widest brick span ever built up to that time, and the mighty pillars in white Valpolicella stone were founded on oak piles driven into the river bed to ensure stability even during impetuous floods. The crenellated walkway allowed the transit of soldiers and horses, while the watchtowers at the ends controlled the accesses.

The Scaliger Bridge went through six centuries intact resisting wars, floods and earthquakes, until April 1945 when the German troops in retreat blew it up with explosives to slow the advance of the Allies. The bridge collapsed into the Adige together with the stone blocks and bricks that were dragged away by the current. The destruction was a trauma for the Veronese who saw one of the identity symbols of the medieval city disappear.

In the post-war period the City of Verona decided to faithfully rebuild the bridge, without modernisations. Between 1949 and 1951 divers recovered from the bed of the Adige thousands of original stone blocks that were catalogued, cleaned and reused in the reconstruction following photographs and technical surveys prior to the destruction. The philological reconstruction maintained the medieval construction techniques: bricks arranged according to original schemes, hump-back arches recreated with millimetric precision, Ghibelline merlons rebuilt identically.

The bridge was inaugurated in 1951 as a symbol of post-war Italian rebirth and Veronese loyalty to its medieval roots.

Today the Scaliger Bridge is exclusively pedestrian and represents one of the most panoramic and romantic walks in Verona. The crenellated walkway about 4 metres wide allows people to cross the Adige admiring spectacular views over Castelvecchio with its crenellated towers and museum, the green waters of the river flowing under the medieval arches, the colourful houses overlooking the Adige, the Valpolicella hills on the horizon and the historic centre with towers and bell towers that dot the skyline. Sunset is the magical moment when the golden light illuminates the red bricks of the bridge and the Ghibelline merlons project long shadows on the walkway.

Photographers and tourists crowd the bridge to take photos of the Adige reflecting the colours of dusk, of Castelvecchio scenically illuminated and of the urban panorama fading into pink-orange tones. The bridge is heavily frequented by the Veronese for evening walks, morning jogging and romantic moments. It directly connects the Castelvecchio museum to the Adige Park on the opposite bank, allowing pleasant itineraries between history and nature along the river.