Ponte Pietra is Verona\u2019s oldest bridge and the only one surviving from Roman times. It is pedestrian-only, free and always open. It crosses the Adige, linking Via Ponte Pietra, on the historic-centre side, to the hill of the Roman Theatre and Castel San Pietro on the opposite bank. From its centre you get one of the most photographed views in Verona: the river, the hills, the rooftops of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For an overview of all the places to see in Verona, read our article on what to see in Verona<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When to go<\/strong>: sunset is the most atmospheric time: the low, raking light on the stones of the bridge and on the water of the Adige creates one of the most photographed scenes in Verona. Early in the morning the bridge is almost deserted, and it is the best time to cross it slowly and take in the details. In summer, in the middle of the day, it is very busy with tourists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The spot where Ponte Pietra stands was already a ford in prehistoric times: it is the point where the Adige narrows to a minimum width of 92 metres and the current is weaker, thanks to the wide meander the river makes just upstream. It is no coincidence that Verona was born right here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 148 BC, during the construction of the Via Postumia, a first wooden bridge was built at this point. It was later replaced by the stone bridge whose two arches on the countryside side have survived intact to this day, built in opus quadratum with large blocks of Valpolicella stone. The bridge is not aligned with the orthogonal grid of the Roman city because it predates the urban plan: Verona was redesigned around the bridge, not the other way round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the centuries the bridge was damaged by the river\u2019s floods \u2014 recorded in 1007, 1153, 1232 and 1239 \u2014 and partially rebuilt several times. In 1298 Alberto della Scala had the tower on the city side restored and the adjacent arch rebuilt: that section is still recognisable today by its use of brick instead of stone. In 1368 Cansignorio had an aqueduct run across the bridge, bringing running water to several homes in the centre and to the Madonna Verona fountain in Piazza delle Erbe. Between 1508 and 1520 Fra Giocondo oversaw the rebuilding of the two central arches in Venetian style, with the large round opening that can still be seen today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The worst damage came on 24 April 1945, when retreating German soldiers blew up the bridge with mines. Only the arch on the city side survived. The people of Verona patiently recovered the original blocks from the riverbed (529 in all) and reassembled them on the basis of old drawings and photographs, following the different building techniques used over the centuries. The reconstruction work, directed by Piero Gazzola and the architect Libero Cecchini, began in 1957 and was completed in 1959.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What makes Ponte Pietra unique is not just its age, but how clearly its layers can be read. The five arches tell two thousand years of building history, with no attempt to make them uniform or to hide them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the middle of the bridge the view opens up in both directions: upstream you can see the Veronese hills and the bends of the Adige; downstream you can glimpse the city\u2019s other historic bridges. On the left side, at the foot of the hill, stands the Roman Theatre \u2014 the two monuments are practically next to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To see Ponte Pietra from a completely different perspective \u2014 from below, on the water \u2014 rafting on the Adige<\/a> passes under the bridge\u2019s arches during the descent. It is one of the most spectacular moments of the route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ponte Pietra is a few minutes\u2019 walk from the historic centre. The most direct route from Piazza delle Erbe follows Via Ponte Pietra north-east for about 8 minutes. From Piazza Bra, add a few minutes walking through Via Mazzini and the pedestrian centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no ticket office and no opening hours: the bridge is a public street you can cross freely at any time of day or night. Parking: the area is a ZTL (limited traffic zone). The nearest car parks are those of the historic centre \u2014 for directions, see our page on parking in Verona<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ponte Pietra is in an area full of points of interest, all within walking distance:<\/p>\n\n\n\nPractical information<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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History: two thousand years in five arches<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What you see: three eras readable at a glance<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How to get to Ponte Pietra<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What to see nearby<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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