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124-752: The history of the COMTA begins after the second Italian war of independence . Following the Italian- French victory over the Austrian Empire , the Kingdom of Sardinia annexed the Papal Legations in present-day Emilia Romagna . Thus on 25 March 1860 the 4th Higher Military Command was activated as a territorial command in Bologna and tasked to defend the newly acquired territory between

248-566: A covert meeting at Plombières on 21 July 1858, Napoleon III and Cavour signed a secret treaty of alliance against Austria on 28 January 1859. France would help Piedmont-Sardinia, if attacked, to fight against Austria if Piedmont-Sardinia gave Nice and Savoy to France in return. The secret alliance served both countries by helping with the Sardinian-Piedmontese plan of unification of the Italian Peninsula under

372-595: A military alliance in January 1859. Sardinia mobilised its army on 9 March 1859, and Austria mobilized on 9 April. On 23 April, Austria delivered an ultimatum to Sardinia demanding its demobilization. Upon Sardinia's refusal, the war began on 26 April. Austria invaded Sardinia three days later, and France declared war on Austria on 3 May. The Austrian invasion was stopped by the arrival of French troops in Piedmont that had begun in late April. The Austrians were defeated at

496-650: A few support units. In the following years the corps added the following major units: In 1951 the corps - along with the 3rd Army Corps and 5th Army Corps - were assigned to NATOs Allied Land Forces Southern Europe Command (LANDSOUTH) in Verona . The corps was once more tasked with defending Italy's northern border in South Tyrol. In 1955 the Centauro moved to Novara and joined the III Army Corps and

620-510: A major route crossing where the north–south rail line from the Brenner Pass to Rome intersects with the east–west line between Milan and Venice, giving the city rail access to most of Europe. In addition to regional and local services, the city is served by direct international trains to Zurich, Innsbruck, and Munich. ÖBB nightjet provides overnight sleeper service via Verona on its La Spezia to Wien and München lines. Verona's main station

744-536: A newly raised corps, which was named Alpine Army Corps; the first time an Italian corps carried the name "Alpine". The three Alpini divisions were joined by the 156th Infantry Division "Vicenza" , which performed garrison duties in the corps' rear area. The corps and most of its troops were annihilated in January 1943 during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn . The Italian front along the Don

868-565: A rare case in the architecture of the epoque. It originally straddled the main Roman road into the city, now Corso Cavour. It was demolished by French troops in 1805 and rebuilt in 1932. Nearby is the Porta Borsari , an archway at the end of Corso Porta Borsari. This is the façade of a 3rd-century gate in the original Roman city walls . The inscription is dated 245 AD and gives the city name as Colonia Verona Augusta . Corso Porta Borsari,

992-517: A result, Austria had to keep 30,000 troops in Transylvania , which could ill be spared from Italy. The French Army, under Marshal François Certain Canrobert , moved into Piedmont in the first massive military use of railways . The Austrian forces counted on a swift victory over the weaker Sardinian Army before French forces could arrive in Piedmont. However, Count Gyulai, the commander of

1116-544: A suburb of Verona, and was created in 1929. However, they ceased to exist in 2021 due to outstanding tax payments. As of the 2021–22 season, Hellas plays in the first division of Italian football , Serie A , while Virtus Verona , the other club in the city, plays in the Serie C . The teams of Hellas and Chievo contested the Derby della Scala and shared the 38,402-seater Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi (now only home to Hellas due to

1240-560: Is 43 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of Verona grew by 3.05%, while Italy as a whole grew by 3.85%. The current birth rate of Verona is 9.24 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.45 births. As of 2009 , 87% of the population was Italian . The largest immigrant group comes from other European nations (the largest coming from Romania ): 3.60%, South Asia : 2.03%, and sub-saharan Africa 1.50%. The city

1364-546: Is a segmental arch bridge . At the time of its completion in 1356, it was the world's largest bridge arch. It has a span length of 48.70 m (159.78 ft). The city has two professional football teams. Historically, the city's major team has been Hellas Verona . They won the Italian Serie A championship in 1984–85 and played in the European Cup the following year. Chievo Verona represented Chievo ,

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1488-407: Is an open archaeological site , and the remains of the original Roman street and gateway foundations can be seen a few feet below the present street level. As can be seen from there, the gate contains a small court guarded by towers. Here, carriages and travelers were inspected before entering or leaving the city. The Santo Stefano church is dedicated to the first Christian martyr, was erected in

1612-595: Is built of alternating tracks of brick and stone, and has two cylindrical towers, housing spiral staircases to the women's galleries. The interior is sober but still quiet. The striped bands of stone and brick and the graceful arches complement the setting. Santa Maria Antica is a small Romanesque church that served as the private chapel of the Scaligeri clan, and is famous for the Gothic Scaliger Tombs . The Verona Cathedral , also known as

1736-552: Is predominantly Roman Catholic , but due to immigration now has some Orthodox Christian , and Muslim followers. Since the local government political reorganization in 1993, Verona has been governed by the City Council of Verona, which is based in Palazzo Barbieri . Voters elect directly 33 councilors and the mayor of Verona every five years. Verona is also the capital of its own province. The Provincial Council

1860-687: Is scheduled to host the 2026 Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. The precise details of Verona's early history remain a mystery along with the origin of its name. One theory is that it was a city of the Euganei , who were obliged to give it up to the Cenomani (550 BC). With the conquest of the Valley of the Po , the Veronese territory became Roman about 300 BC. Verona became a Roman colonia in 89 BC. It

1984-575: Is seated in Palazzo del Governo . The current mayor of Verona is Damiano Tommasi , elected on 26 June 2022. Verona has traditionally been a right-wing traditionalist Catholic city, reflecting its former status as one of the major cities of Italian Social Republic , and the right-wing politics of the Veneto region. In October 2018, Verona became the first city in Italy to declare itself pro-life, and hosted

2108-551: Is today Via Colombo. This marked another turning point in the escalation of violence that would only end with the final liberation by allied troops and partisans on 26 April 1945. After World War II, as Italy joined the NATO alliance, Verona once again acquired its strategic importance, due to its geographical closeness to the Iron Curtain . The city became the seat of SETAF (South European Allied Terrestrial Forces) and had during

2232-491: Is unknown if Shakespeare ever visited Verona or Italy, but his plays have lured many visitors to Verona and surrounding cities. Verona was also the birthplace of Isotta Nogarola , who is said to be the first major female humanist and one of the most important humanists of the Renaissance . In November 2000, the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its urban structure and architecture. The city

2356-610: The 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" and the 22nd Infantry Division "Cacciatori delle Alpi" . After the war the corps returned to Bolzano. In July 1942 Benito Mussolini decided to scale up the Italian war effort in the Soviet Union . Seven fresh divisions were sent to Southern Russia to augment the existing Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia . The 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" , 3rd Alpine Division "Julia" and 4th Alpine Division "Cuneense" were sent to Russia and came under

2480-495: The 9th Infantry Division "Pasubio" in Verona and the 11th Infantry Division "Brennero" in Bolzano . In 1935 the corps was moved to Bolzano , but quickly dispatched to reinforce the Italian troops that faced stiffer than expected resistance during the Italian invasion of Abyssinia . The corps commanded the 5th Infantry Division "Cosseria" , 1st Blackshirt Division "23 March" and 5th Blackshirt Division "1° Febbraio" . During

2604-727: The Alessandria and Po bridges around Casale Monferrato forced the Austrians to halt their advance on 9 May and to fall back on 10 May. Napoleon III left Paris on 10 May, landed at Genoa on 12 May and arrived in Alessandria on 14 May. Napoleon then took the command of the operations of the war, whose first major clash was the Battle of Montebello on 20 May, between the Austrian IX Corps led by Karl von Urban (under

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2728-804: The Alpine Brigade "Julia" . In the same year the Alpine Military School in Aosta had been reduced to Alpine Training Center with only the Alpini Battalion "Aosta" , which by 1998 consisted only of the 42nd Training Company and the 88th Climbers Company. On 1 October 1997 the 4th Alpine Army Corps was renamed as the Alpine Troops Command ( Comando Truppe Alpine or COMALP). At this point the Command consisted of

2852-523: The Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" . On the same date the 24th Maneuver Logistic Battalion "Dolomiti" moved from Eppan to Meran, where it incorporated personnel and materiel of the Logistic Battalion "Orobica" . On 15 September 1994 the battalion was expanded to regiment and renamed 24th Maneuver Logistic Regiment "Dolomiti" . On 28 August 1992 the 4th Signal Battalion "Gardena" in Bolzano

2976-589: The Battle of Legnano in 1176, and the Treaty of Venice signed in 1177 followed by the Peace of Constance in 1183. When Ezzelino III da Romano was elected podestà in 1226, he converted the office into a permanent lordship. In 1257 he caused the slaughter of 11,000 Paduans on the plain of Verona (Campi di Verona). Upon his death, the Great Council elected Mastino I della Scala as podestà, and he converted

3100-618: The Battle of Magenta on 4 June and pushed back to Lombardy , where the Franco-Sardinian victory at the Battle of Solferino on 24 June resulted in the end of the war and the signing of the Armistice of Villafranca on 12 July. Austria ceded Lombardy to France, which, in turn, gave it to Sardinia. Exploiting the collapse of Austrian power in Italy, Sardinia annexed the United Provinces of Central Italy , consisting of

3224-552: The Crimean War . In the peace conference at Paris after the Crimean War, Cavour attempted to bring attention to efforts for Italian unification. He found Britain and France to be sympathetic but refusing to go against Austrian wishes, as any movement towards Italian independence would threaten Austria's territory of Lombardy–Venetia . Private talks between Napoleon III and Cavour after the conference identified Napoleon as

3348-906: The Drava valley in Carinthia , the Alpini brigades would have been the first front line units of the Italian Army: To aid in the defence of the narrow mountain valleys the 4th Army Corps re-activated the fortifications of the Alpine Wall . To give an idea of the depth of fortifications: the area of operation of the Tridentina the Puster Valley contained 11 lines of defence, with each line consisting of up to 19 bunkers, which were connected underground. The most heavily fortified valley

3472-651: The Giro d'Italia annual cycling race. Verona also hosted the baseball world cup in 2009, and the Volleyball World Cup in September–October 2010. Verona is hosting the Volleyball Women's World Championship in September–October 2014. Public transit has been operated by the provincial public transport company, Azienda Trasporti Verona (ATV), since 2007. From 1884 to 1951, the city was served by

3596-786: The Grand Duchy of Tuscany , the Duchy of Parma , the Duchy of Modena and Reggio and the Papal Legations, on 22 March 1860. Two days later, Sardinia ceded Savoy and Nice to France at the Treaty of Turin as compensation for its assistance. The Piedmontese, following their defeat by Austria in the First Italian War of Independence , recognized their need for allies. That led Prime Minister Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour to attempt to establish relations with other European powers, partially through Piedmont's participation in

3720-464: The House of Savoy . It also weakened Austria, a fiery adversary of Napoleon III's French Second Empire . Cavour, being unable to get French help unless the Austrians attacked first, provoked Vienna by a series of military maneuvers close to the border. Sardinia mobilised its army on 9 March 1859. Austria mobilised on 9 April 1859 and issued an ultimatum on 23 April demanding the complete demobilisation of

3844-581: The Italian Social Republic . During Austrian rule Verona became of great strategic importance to the regime. Galeazzo Ciano , Benito Mussolini 's son-in-law, was accused of plotting against the republic; in a show trial staged in January 1944 by the Nazi and fascist hierarchy at Castelvecchio (the Verona trial ), Ciano was executed on the banks of the Adige with many other officers on what

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3968-846: The Italian-Allied armistice . For the remainder of the war the headquarters of the IV Corps in Bolzano became the headquarters of the Gestapo for the Operationszone Alpenvorland . After the German Army Group C in Italy surrendered on 29 April 1945 with hostilities formally ending on 2 May 1945 Italy immediately sent a military higher command to Bolzano to activate there as the IV Territorial Military Command and ensure that

4092-789: The King of France , he was the richest prince of his time. A powerful league was formed against him in 1337 – Florence , Venice , the Visconti , the Este , and the Gonzaga . After a three-year war , the Scaliger dominions were reduced to Verona and Vicenza (Mastino's daughter Regina-Beatrice della Scala married to Barnabò Visconti ). Mastino's son Cangrande II (1351–1359) was a cruel, dissolute, and suspicious tyrant; not trusting his own subjects, he surrounded himself with Brandenburgian mercenaries. He

4216-634: The Pact of Steel in 1939 the construction of the fortifications along the Alpine Wall continued unabated. When Italy declared war on France on 10 June 1940 the corps was near the French-Italian border. The Italian Army only performed limited patrols and remained in its positions until after France had asked for an armistice on 20 June 1940. The next day the Italian divisions crossed the border in force , but stiff French resistance stopped them along

4340-525: The Paleochristian era, and houses the burials of the first bishops of Verona. Throughout the centuries Saint Stephen underwent complex architectural transformations. Particularly striking is the rare two-story ambulatory, probably built to give pilgrims visual access to the abundant collection of important relics for which the church was famous. Also to be visited is the cruciform crypt with its forest of columns, arches, and cross vaults. Saint Stephen

4464-577: The Panaro river and the Adriatic Sea . The command consisted of the 4th, 7th and 13th division of the Line. At the outbreak of the third Italian war of independence the command covered the right flank of the main army and remained static along the river Po . The command under General Enrico Cialdini consisted of the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th and 20th division of the line. However, when

4588-493: The Venetian Republic . Verona became Austrian territory when Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio in October 1797. The Austrians took control of the city on 18 January 1798. It was taken from Austria by the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805 and became part of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy , but was returned to Austria following Napoleon's defeat in 1814, when it became part of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia . The Congress of Verona , which met on 20 October 1822,

4712-426: The Veneto , dispatching one division under Giacomo Medici to invade Trentino and cut the Austrian line of retreat and three divisions under Raffaele Cadorna to march at speed to the city of Trieste . Cialdinis army finally reached the Isonzo river on 24 July 1866. After the Kingdom of Sardinia extended its borders northward following the war by annexing the territory of Veneto the 4th Higher Military Command

4836-403: The Verona tram network  [ it ] . Trolleybuses replaced the trams which were themselves replaced by buses in 1975. A new trolleybus network is currently under construction by ATV and is expected to open in 2026. An incline lift, the Verona funicular , opened in 2017 and provides access from the Ponte Pietra to the Roman theatre museum and San Pietro Castle. Verona lies at

4960-410: The marquisate dependent on the Duchy of Bavaria , however, the increasing wealth of the burgher families eclipsed the power of the counts, and in 1135 Verona was organised as a free commune. In 1164 Verona joined with Vicenza , Padua and Treviso to create the Veronese League , which was integrated with the Lombard League in 1167 to battle against Frederick I Barbarossa . Victory was achieved at

5084-569: The opera season in the Arena , an ancient Roman amphitheater . Between the 13th and 14th centuries, the city was ruled by the della Scala family . Under the rule of the family, in particular of Cangrande I della Scala , the city experienced great prosperity, becoming rich and powerful and being surrounded by new walls. The della Scala era is preserved in numerous monuments around Verona. Two of William Shakespeare 's plays are set in Verona: Romeo and Juliet (which also features Romeo's visit to Mantua ) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona . It

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5208-420: The plague , and in 1629–1633 , Italy was struck by its worst outbreak in modern times. Around 33,000 people died in Verona (over 60% of the population at the time) in 1630–1631. In 1776, a method of bellringing was developed called Veronese bellringing art . Verona was occupied by Napoleon in 1797, but on Easter Monday the populace rose and drove out the French. It was then that Napoleon made an end of

5332-411: The "Cuneense" and "Julia" had been annihilated: the Cuneense counted 1,607 survivors out of 17,460 men deployed, the Julia counted less than 1,200 survivors of 17,460 men deployed. The "Tridentina" was somewhat in better shape having managed to bring 4,250 men through the Russian lines. The "Vicenza" hat counted 10,466 men at the beginning of the Soviet offensive, 7,760 of which were killed or missing after

5456-423: The "signoria" into a family possession, though leaving the burghers a share in the government. Failing to be re-elected podestà in 1262, he affected a coup d'état, and was acclaimed Capitano del Popolo, with the command of the communal troops. Long internal discord took place before he succeeded in establishing this new office, to which was attached the function of confirming the podestà. In 1277, Mastino della Scala

5580-430: The 16th on 30 November 2004. In February 2000 the 2nd Alpine Signal Regiment was transferred to the newly raised Signal Brigade. In February 2001 the 24th Maneuver Logistic Regiment "Dolomiti" added a field maintenance and a field medical battalion to its ranks and transferred to the newly formed Logistic Brigade. In July 2001 the 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair" passed to the newly raised Army Aviation Brigade. In 2002

5704-437: The 18th century Andrea Monga, a wealthy Veronese, bought all the houses that in time had been built over the theatre, demolished them, and saved the monument. Not far from it is the Ponte di Pietra ("Stone Wall Bridge"), another Roman landmark that has survived to this day. The Arco dei Gavi was built in the 1st century AD and is famous for having the name of the builder (architect Lucius Vitruvius Cordone ) engraved on it,

5828-411: The 2nd Alpine Engineer Regiment was transferred to the Julia. As the Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino was deployed constantly in the war in Afghanistan since 2002 the battalion added a third Ranger company in 2004 and was therefore elevated to 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment on 25 September 2004. The last brigade to disband was the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" , which lowered its flag for

5952-435: The 33rd Territorial Division, the elite Bersaglieri Division and two division sized Alpini formations: For the rest of the war the corps fought on the Isonzo front . In the twelfth battle of the Isonzo the corps was covering the northern flank of the Italian 2nd Army between Mount Rombon and Dolje . The main Austro-German attack was aimed at the Italian IV and XXVII Corps. The Italian defences were quickly overcome and

6076-441: The 9th Heavy Artillery Group "Rovigo" as 3rd Battery "Wolves of Elvas". The Rovigo itself lost its nuclear capability in 1986, and the Marche in 1992. With the end of the Cold War the Italian Army began a decade long reduction of its forces. The first brigade to disband was the Alpine Brigade "Orobica" , which disbanded on 27 July 1991 together with its Alpini battalions Edolo and Morbegno, and its Artillery Group "Bergamo" joining

6200-404: The American Christian right lobby group World Congress of Families ' conference in 2019. Despite this, since the mayors became directly elected in 1994, the city has elected two left-wing mayors - Paolo Zanotto in 2002 and current mayor Damiano Tommasi in 2022, largely due to incumbent mayor Federico Sboarina 's refusal to include center-right parties in his right-wing coalition. Because of

6324-501: The Austrian troops in Lombardy , was very cautious and marched around the river Ticino in no specific direction until he crossed it to begin the offensive. Unfortunately for him, very heavy rains began to fall, which allowed the Piedmontese to flood the rice fields in front of his advance and slowed his army's march to a crawl. The Austrians, under Gyulai, captured Novara on 30 April and Vercelli on 2 May and advanced on Turin from 7 May onward. The Franco-Sardinian move to strengthen

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6448-431: The COMTA can draw troops from the following support units located in the same region as the Command itself: In 2013 the COMTA's 4th Alpini Parachutist Regiment Monte Cervino was transferred to the Army Special Forces Command (COMFOSE). The Alpine Commands main duty was the organization, preparation and conduction of Italy 's contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan . Since

6572-463: The Carabinieri corps. The Alpini Paratroopers Company "Monte Cervino" was elevated to battalion on 14 July 1996 and began its conversion from an elite mountain infantry airborne unit to a Ranger-qualified unit, a process which was finished in 1999 when the battalion was renamed as Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino" . On 10 January 1997 the Alpine Brigade "Cadore" disbanded and its 7th Alpini Regiment and 16th Regiment "Belluno" joined

6696-446: The Duomo, is a notable Romanesque church. Sant'Anastasia is a huge and lofty church built from 1290 to 1481 by the Dominicans to hold the massive congregations attracted by their sermons. The Pellegrini chapel houses the fresco St. George and the Princess of Trebizond by Pisanello as well as the grave of Wilhelm von Bibra . An art festival is held in the square each May. The Castelvecchio Bridge , also known as Ponte Scaligero,

6820-413: The Great was said to have built a palace there. It remained under the power of the Goths throughout the Gothic War (535–552) , except for a single day in 541, when the Byzantine officer Artabazes made an entrance. The defections of the Byzantine generals over the booty made it possible for the Goths to regain possession of the city. In 552 the Romans under the general Valerian vainly endeavored to enter

6944-423: The II Corps, led by Patrice de MacMahon ; the III Corps, led by François Certain de Canrobert , the IV Corps; led by Adolphe Niel , and the V Corps, led by prince Napoléon Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte . The Imperial Guard was commanded by Auguste Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély . Napoleon III participated in the war and showed up on the battlefield in the belief that it would motivate the French people during

7068-461: The IV Army Corps added the Carnia-Cadore Troops Command to its units. The Carnia-Cadore Troops Command was a division level command consisting of the Alpine Brigade "Julia" and the Alpine Brigade "Cadore" . The Command was tasked with defending the Italian border in the Cadore region and along the Carnic Alps . In 1972 the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" joined the IV Army Corps that now commanded all operational Alpini, Alpine, and Mountain units of

7192-418: The Italian Army. On this occasion the corps changed its name to IV Alpine Army Corps. With the Italian Army 1975 reform the Carnia-Cadore Troops Command was disbanded and all five Alpini brigades came under direct command of the IV Alpine Army Corps, which from forthwith was written with Arabic numbers instead of Roman numbers: 4th Alpine Army Corps. The structure of the 4th Alpine Army Corps from 1976 to 1986

7316-399: The Jewish population was hit by the Manifesto of Race , a series of anti-Semitic laws passed in 1938, and after the invasion by Nazi Germany in 1943, deportations to Nazi concentration camps . An Austrian Fort (now a church, the Santuario della Madonna di Lourdes), was used to incarcerate and torture Allied troops , Jews and anti-fascists , especially after 1943, when Verona became part of

7440-423: The Lombard kingdom. Verona became the ordinary residence of the kings of Italy , the government of the city becoming hereditary in the family of Count Milo , progenitor of the counts of San Bonifacio . From 880 to 951 the two Berengarii resided there. Under Holy Roman and Austrian rule, Verona was alternatively known in German as Bern , Welsch-Bern or Dietrichsbern . Otto I ceded to Verona

7564-425: The Roman forum was rebuilt by Cangrande I and Cansignorio della Scala I , lords of Verona, using material (such as marble blocks and statues) from Roman spas and villas. There is also a variety of other Roman monuments to be found in the town, such as the Roman theatre of Verona . This theatre was built in the 1st century BC, but through the ages had fallen in disuse and had been built upon to provide housing. In

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7688-443: The Sardinian Army. When it was not heeded, Austria started a war against Sardinia on 26 April. The first French troops entered Piedmont on 25 April, and France declared war on Austria on 3 May. The French Army for the Italian campaign had 170,000 soldiers, 2,000 horsemen and 312 guns, half of the whole French army. The army, under the command of Napoleon III, divided into five corps: the I Corps, led by Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers ;

7812-407: The Scaliger domination, which, however, survived in its monuments. The year 1387 is also the year of the Battle of Castagnaro , fought between Giovanni Ordelaffi for Verona and John Hawkwood for Padua . The latter emerged as the winner. Antonio's son Canfrancesco attempted in vain to recover Verona (1390). Guglielmo (1404), natural son of Cangrande II, was more fortunate; with the support of

7936-419: The United Provinces of Central Italy including the ( Duchy of Parma , Duchy of Modena , Grand Duchy of Tuscany , and part of the Papal States ) were annexed by the Kingdom of Sardinia, and France took its deferred rewards of Savoy and Nice . This latter move was vehemently opposed by Italian national hero Garibaldi, a native of Nice, and directly led to Garibaldi's expedition to Sicily , which would complete

8060-449: The armistice was signed on the following day - the Peace of Villafranca . Napoleon III signed the armistice with Austria at Villafranca for a combination of reasons. The Austrians had retreated to the Quadrilateral , which would be very costly to overrun. His absence in France had made the country vulnerable to attack. His actions in Italy were being criticised in France. He did not want Cavour and Piedmont to gain too much power, mostly at

8184-400: The basis for Prussia's rapid victories over Austria in 1866 and France in 1870-71 , which led to a united Germany under Prussian dominance. Verona Verona ( / v ə ˈ r oʊ n ə / və- ROH -nə ; Italian: [veˈroːna] ; Venetian : Verona or Veròna ) is a city on the River Adige in Veneto , Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of

8308-531: The beginning of the ongoing war in Afghanistan the Alpine commands had provided and commanded at all times at least one of the two Italian battlegroups in the theater of operation. Second Italian War of Independence Franco-Sardinian victory The Second Italian War of Independence , also called the Sardinian War , the Austro-Sardinian War , the Franco-Austrian War , or the Italian War of 1859 (Italian: Seconda guerra d'indipendenza italiana ; German: Sardinischer Krieg ; French: Campagne d'Italie ),

8432-404: The campaign in Abyssinia the IV Army Corps participated in the Battle of Shire . After the return from Abyssinia the corps was tasked with defending the Northern borders of Italy. Specifically in the case of war with Hitler's Third Reich the corps was tasked with manning the Alpine Wall in South Tyrol and delaying the advancing enemy for as long as possible. Although Germany and Italy signed

8556-440: The church is a pleasant cloister. The church also houses the tomb of King Pippin of Italy (777–810). Piazza dei Signori is an elegant medieval square with various buildings and towers. It has a monument dedicated to Dante Alighieri . The Basilica of San Lorenzo is another Romanesque church, albeit smaller. It dates from around 1177, but was built on the site of a Paleochristian church, fragments of which remain. The church

8680-405: The church is divided into the Lower Church, occupying about ⅔ of the structure, and the Upper Church, occupying the remainder. The walls are covered with 12th and 14th century frescos and the ceiling of the nave is a magnificent example of a ship's keel ceiling. The vaulted crypt contains the tomb of St. Zeno , the first Bishop of Verona , as well as the tombs of several other saints. North of

8804-404: The cities of Treviso (1308), Vicenza (1311), and Padua (1328). At that time before the Black Death , the city was home to more than 40,000 people. Cangrande was succeeded by Mastino II (1329–1351) and Alberto, sons of Alboino. Mastino continued his uncle's policy, conquering Brescia in 1332 and carrying his power beyond the Mincio . He purchased Parma (1335) and Lucca (1339). After

8928-619: The city, but it was only when the Goths were fully overthrown that they surrendered it. In 569, it was taken by Alboin , King of the Lombards , in whose kingdom it was, in a sense, the second most important city. There, Alboin was "killed by his own people with the connivance of his wife" in 572. The dukes of Treviso often resided there. Adalgisus , son of Desiderius , in 774 made his last resistance in Verona to Charlemagne , who had destroyed

9052-425: The city. The current two-story façade is actually the internal support for the tiers; only a fragment of the original outer perimeter wall in white and pink limestone from Valpolicella , with three stories remains. The interior is very impressive and is virtually intact, and has remained in use even today for public events, fairs, theatre, and open-aired opera during warm summer nights. Piazza delle Erbe , near

9176-402: The commanding general of the corps Lieutenant General Gabriele Nasci finally ordered a full retreat. About 40,000 men formed two columns that followed the Tridentina division which, supported by a handful of German armoured vehicles, led the way westwards to the new Axis front. The Soviets had already occupied every village and bitter battles were fought by the soldiers of the Tridentina to clear

9300-521: The corps was renamed as IV Army Corps and transferred to Piacenza . In 1888 the corps moved to Genoa . In spring 1915, the corps under general Mario Nicolis di Robilant was moved towards the Austrian border and saw its first combat during the battle for Monte Nero (today Krn ) in the Julian Alps . At the outbreak of the war the corps consisted of the 7th and 8th Division of the Line (Infantry),

9424-579: The division's remnants reached Axis lines. The worst hit unit was the 2nd Alpini Regiment which saw 208 men survive out of 5,206 deployed. In total the corps suffered 34,170 killed in action and 9,400 wounded in action out of 57,000 men at the beginning of the battle. The remnants of the divisions were repatriated and, along with the IV Corps, which was at this point on garrison duty in Durrës , disbanded in September 1943 after Germany invaded Italy following

9548-496: The early medieval era. The Roman military settlement in what is now the center of the city was to expand through the cardines and decumani that intersect at right angles. This structure has been kept to the present day and is clearly visible from the air. Further development has not reshaped the original map. Though the Roman city with its basalt-paved roads is mostly hidden from view it stands virtually intact about 6 m below

9672-693: The enemy forces on the plains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia . The only brigade which would have seen combat in such a case would have been the Julia. In case of a war with the Warsaw Pact , the 4th Alpine Army Corps had two war plans: one in the case the Soviet Southern Group of Forces and Hungarian Army would march through Yugoslavia and the other in case the Warsaw Pact would violate Austrian neutrality and march through Austria. In case

9796-571: The enemy forces would come through Yugoslavia, the Julia would cover the mountainous left flank of the 5th Corps, which, with its four armoured and five mechanized brigades, would try to wear down the enemy before it could break out into the North Italian Padan plain . The other Alpini brigades would remain static. In the more likely case, the Soviet and Hungarian divisions would invade Austria, march through Southern Styria , and through

9920-660: The entire front after a few kilometres. During the campaign the corps commanded the 2nd Mountain Infantry Division "Sforzesca" , 26th Mountain Infantry Division "Assietta" and 3rd Alpini Regiment . After the Italian invasion of Greece in October 1940 bogged down under stiff Greek resistance the IV Army Corps was dispatched to Albania to augment the Italian forces along the Epirus front. The corps commanded

10044-457: The expense of his men. He feared involvement of the German states. Most of Lombardy , with its capital, Milan , excluding only the Austrian fortresses of Mantua and Legnago and the surrounding territory, was transferred from Austria to France, which would immediately cede the territories to Sardinia. The rulers of Central Italy, who had been expelled by revolution shortly after the beginning of

10168-635: The fold of Chievo), which was used as a venue at the 1990 FIFA World Cup . Verona is home to the volleyball team Verona Volley (now in Serie A1), the rugby team Franklin and Marshall Cus Verona Rugby (now in Serie A1), and the basketball team Scaligera Basket (now in Legadue). The city has twice hosted the UCI Road World Championships , in 1999 (with Treviso as co-host) and in 2004 . The city also regularly hosts stages of

10292-506: The following units: On 1 December 1997 the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment passed from the COMALP to the Army's new Artillery Brigade. On 1 March 1998 the 16th Regiment "Belluno" of the Julia and the 18th Regiment "Edolo" of the Tridentina passed to the 4th Alpine Army Corps. Both regiments were disbanded after Italy suspend compulsory military service in 2001; the 18th on 30 September 2004 and

10416-659: The front along the Don. But on 13 January 1943, the Soviets began the second stage of Operation Saturn and launched the four armies of General Filipp Golikov 's Voronezh Front against the Hungarian Second Army on the left flank of the Alpine Corps. Within three days the Alpini found themselves flanked on both sides by Soviet armoured and mechanized units and 200 km away from the new Axis lines. On 17 January

10540-632: The general command of Stadion) and Forey 's division, part of the French I Corps under marshal d'Hilliers. The Austrians retreated after 9 hours of combat when the Sardinian Cavalry under De Sonnaz arrived, which made Gyulai even more cautious. Napoleon III crossed the Ticino river after the Battle of Turbigo and entered Lombardy. He advanced with part of his force and sent many other troops to

10664-546: The large square, and is flanked with a 72-meter-tall bell tower , which is mentioned by Dante in Canto 18 of Purgatory in the Divine Comedy . The weathered Veronese stone gives a warm golden glow, and the restrained lines of the pillars, columns, and cornices, and the gallery with its double windows, give the façade an air of harmonious elegance. The huge rose window is decorated as a Wheel of Fortune . The lintels above

10788-601: The larger battle around Solferino, where, after a day-long battle, the French broke through. Ludwig von Benedek with the Austrian VIII Corps was separated from the main force and defended Pozzolengo against the Piedmontese part of the opposing army. It was successful, but the entire Austrian army retreated after the breakthrough at Solferino and withdrew back into the Quadrilateral. Meanwhile, in

10912-546: The last time on 31 December 2002. However, on the next day the Division Command "Tridentina" was activated in Bolzano as a deployable division command. The division command carries on the traditions of the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" and the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". Today the Command is located in the northern Italian City of Bolzano and consists of the following units: For operational needs

11036-658: The main Italian army failed to break through the Austrian Quadrilatero fortress system south of Lake Garda the V Army Corps marched six divisions over the Apennine mountains, joined up with the IV Army Corps in the Romagna and crossed the lower Po and Adige rivers in force on 15 July 1866. Cialdini bypassed the Austrian fortresses and main army on his left flank and marched his army all through

11160-456: The most likely candidate to aid Italy although he was still uncommitted. On 14 January 1858, Felice Orsini , an Italian, led an attempt on Napoleon III's life. The assassination attempt brought widespread sympathy for the Italian unity and had a profound effect on Napoleon III himself, who now was determined to help Piedmont against Austria to defuse the wider revolutionary activities, which governments in Italy might later allow to happen. After

11284-592: The north of Lombardy, the Italian volunteers of Giuseppe Garibaldi 's Hunters of the Alps defeated the Austrians at Varese and Como , and the Piedmontese-French Navy landed 3,000 soldiers and conquered the islands of Losinj (Lussino) and Cres (Cherso), in Dalmatia . After the Battle of Solferino, a cease fire was agreed on 8 July. The two emperors met on 11 July at Villafranca di Verona and

11408-562: The north to flank the Austrians. The Austrians planned a resistance before Milan, however they were defeated at the Battle of Magenta on 5 May, which caused Gyulai to retreat east of the river Mincio to the quadrilateral fortresses , where he was relieved of his post as commander by the Emperor Franz Josef , who assumed the command himself. The Piedmontese-French army took Milan and slowly marched further east to finish off Austria before Prussia could get involved. During

11532-746: The nuclear shells for the 9th were stored in Longarone at "Site Pluto" and "Site River" and the nuclear shells for the Marche were stored in Reana del Rojale at the Italian Army ammunition depot "San Bernardo". The Rovigo was tasked with denying the enemy the use of the Adige and Piave valleys, while the Marche was ordered to turn the Canal valley into a fiery hell if the Julia would have been overrun. Each of

11656-650: The people and the Carraresi , he drove out the Milanese , but he died ten days after. After a period of Cararrese rule, Verona submitted to Venice (1405). The last representatives of the Scaligeri lived at the imperial court and repeatedly attempted to recover Verona by the aid of popular risings. From 1508 to 1517, the city was in the power of the Emperor Maximilian I . There were numerous outbreaks of

11780-433: The phenomenon has become less and less frequent in recent years. In 2009, 265,368 people were residing in Verona, located in the province of Verona, Veneto , of whom 47.6% were male and 52.4% were female. Minors (children aged 0–17) totaled 16.05% of the population compared to pensioners who numbered 22.36%. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06% (minors) and 19.94% (pensioners). The average age of Verona residents

11904-452: The portal have carvings of the months of the year. Each side of the doorway is embellished with 18 bas-relief panels of biblical scenes, and the inner bronze door panels have 48 primitive but forceful depictions of Biblical scenes and episodes from the life of St Zeno. The meaning of some of the scenes is now unknown, but the extraordinarily vivid energy of the figures is a superb blend of traditional and Ottonian influences. The interior of

12028-647: The preliminary Unification of Italy . The annexation of Nice to France caused the Niçard exodus , or the emigration of a quarter of the Niçard Italians to Italy, and the Niçard Vespers . During the war, Prussia also mobilized 132,000 men, but never joined the fighting. The weaknesses laid bare during the mobilization caused the Prussian Army to initiate military reforms. These reforms were

12152-512: The previous rulers, and France was unwilling to force them to do so. The Austrians were left to look on in frustration at the French failure to carry out the terms of the treaty. Austria had emerged triumphant after the suppression of liberal movements in 1849, but its status as a great power on the European scene was now seriously challenged and its influence in Italy severely weakened. As such, on 22 March 1860, with French and British approval,

12276-576: The province of South Tyrol would not be reunited with Austria . On 1 May 1952 the command was renamed as IV Army Corps and became one of the three active duty Army Corps of the Italian Army. At first the Corps only commanded the Infantry Division "Friuli" and 6th Alpini Regiment . However, in 1949 the Friuli moved to Florence and the IV Army Corps only consisted of the 6th Alpini Regiment and

12400-466: The rapid advance cut the IV Corps' line of retreat. Most of the men and material of the IV Corps were captured by the Central Powers troops and the corps was not raised again until the end of the war. After World War I the corps was moved once again to Bologna until it moved to Verona in 1927 and tasked with territorial and defence duties along the valley of the Adige . The corps consisted of

12524-474: The retreat, the Austrians won one of their only victories of the war, when Karl von Urban defeated Giuseppe Garibaldi at the Battle of Treponti . The Austrians found out that the French had halted at Brescia and decided that they should counterattack along the river Chiese. The two armies met accidentally around Solferino , which precipitated a confused series of battles. A French corps held off three Austrian corps all day at Medole and kept them from joining

12648-412: The road passing through the gate is the original Via Sacra of the Roman city. Today, it is lined with several Renaissance palazzi and the ancient Church of Santi Apostoli , a few meters from Piazza delle Erbe. Porta Leoni is the 1st century BC ruin of what was once part of the Roman city gate . A substantial portion is still standing as part of the wall of a medieval building. The street itself

12772-679: The same day the 4th Engineer Battalion "Orta" was disbanded and the Iseo became the only battalion of the reactivated 2nd Alpine Engineer Regiment morphing from a tunnelling to a sapper battalion in the process. Furthermore in 1995 the Savoia Cavalleria left Meran and moved to Grosseto in Tuscany where it joined the Motorized Brigade "Friuli" . Around the same time the 7th Armored Carabinieri Battalion returned to be part of

12896-467: The seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city municipality in the region and in northeastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona covers an area of 1,426 km (550.58 sq mi) and has a population of 714,310 inhabitants. It is one of the main tourist destinations in Northern Italy because of its artistic heritage and several annual fairs and shows as well as

13020-769: The surface. Most palazzi and houses have cellars built on Roman structures that are rarely accessible to visitors. Verona is famous for its Roman amphitheater , the Arena , found in the city's largest piazza, the Piazza Bra . Completed around 30 AD, it is the third-largest in Italy after Rome's Colosseum and the Amphitheatre of Capua . It measures 139 meters long and 110 meters wide, and could seat some 25,000 spectators in its 44 tiers of marble seats. The ludi (shows and gladiator games) performed within its walls were so famous that they attracted spectators from far beyond

13144-524: The three Heavy Artillery Battalions lost their nuclear role. As the Lance had a greater range (130 km vs. 20 km), a higher mobility and better accuracy the Italian Army decided to rely on its stockpile of over 100 missiles rather than on artillery to deny Soviet forces the passage through the Alpine valleys. Therefore the 1st Heavy Artillery Group "Adige" was disbanded on 31 July 1982 with its 8th battery joining

13268-508: The three groups had two firing batteries with four artillery systems per battery and 140 nuclear artillery shells per group to fulfil their task. In the late 1980s the W33 nuclear artillery shells were replaced with fewer but more powerful W79 nuclear artillery shells . With the introduction of the second version of the MGM-52 Lance tactical surface-to-surface missile system in the 1980s

13392-478: The value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Verona preserved many ancient Roman monuments (including the magnificent Arena ) in the early Middle Ages , but many of its early medieval edifices were destroyed or heavily damaged by the earthquake of 3 January 1117 , which led to a massive Romanesque rebuilding. The Carolingian period Versus de Verona contains an important description of Verona in

13516-554: The war, were to be restored. The agreement, made by Napoleon behind the backs of his Sardinian allies, led to great outrage in Piedmont-Sardinia, and Cavour resigned in protest. However, the Villafranca terms never took effect. Although they were reaffirmed by the final Treaty of Zürich in 11 November, the agreement had become a dead letter. The central Italian states were occupied by Piedmont, which would not restore

13640-601: The war. That would prove successful. The Sardinian Army had about 70,000 soldiers, 4,000 horsemen and 90 guns. It was divided into five divisions, led by Castelbrugo, Manfredo Fanti , Giovanni Durando , Enrico Cialdini and Domenico Cucchiari . Two volunteer formations, the Cacciatori delle Alpi and the Cacciatori degli Appennini , were also present. It was led by Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy , supported by Alfonso Ferrero la Marmora . The Austrian Army fielded more men with 220,000 soldiers, 824 guns and 22,000 horsemen. It

13764-510: The way. On 26 January 1943 the corps' remnants finally broke free from the Soviet encirclement at the Battle of Nikolayevka and reached Axis lines on 1 February 1943. In fifteen days the soldiers covered 200 km on foot, fought twenty-two battles and spent fourteen nights camped in the middle of the Russian steppe . Temperatures during the night fell between −30 °C (−20 °F) and −40 °C (−40 °F). The losses were staggering:

13888-514: The whole duration of the Cold War period a strong military presence, especially American, which has since decreased. Verona has a humid subtropical climate characteristic of Northern Italy's inland plains, with hot summers and cool, humid winters, even though Lake Garda has a partial influence on the city. The relative humidity is high throughout the year, especially in winter when it causes fog , mainly from dusk until late morning, although

14012-547: Was as follows: After the 1976 reform, the 4th Alpine Army Corps was responsible for defending the Italian border along the main chain of the alps from the Swiss - Austrian -Italian border tripoint in the west to the Italian- Yugoslavian border in the east. In case of war with Yugoslavia, the 4th Alpine Army Corps would remain static in its position guarding the left flank of the Italian V Corps, which would meet

14136-645: Was broken by Soviet armoured and mechanized forces on 16 December 1942, but as the Soviet forces turned South towards Rostov-on-Don on the Black Sea to cut off the German Army Group A fighting in the Caucasus and the German 4th Panzer Army , which was in the midst of Operation Wintergewitter — the attempt to relieve the 6th Army in Stalingrad — the Italian Alpine Corps continued to hold

14260-528: Was classified as a municipium in 49 BC, when its citizens were ascribed to the Roman tribe Poblilia or Publicia . The city became important because it was at the intersection of several roads. Stilicho , a military commander in the Roman army , defeated Alaric and his Visigoths here in 402. Later, Verona was conquered by the Ostrogoths in 489, and the Gothic domination of Italy began. Theoderic

14384-642: Was disbanded in spring of 1867. On 15 August 1870 the IV Army Corps was activated for the short campaign to capture of Rome . After the troops of the corps had entered Rome the corps was turned into the General Army Command, which was tasked with garrison duties in Rome . During the campaign the corps commanded the 2nd, 9th, 11th, 12th and 13th division of the line. In 1873 the command was renamed as 4th General Command and transferred to Florence to act as territorial command for Tuscany. On 22 January 1877

14508-611: Was elevated to 2nd Alpine Signal Regiment and incorporated the 7th Alpini Signal Company in Bassano del Grappa . The 4th Heavy Field Artillery Group "Pusteria" was disbanded on 4 September 1992 and in its stead the Mountain Artillery Group "Vicenza" of the Tridentina moved to Trento and became the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment armed with FH-70 howitzers . On 13 October 1995 the 2nd Alpini Mining Engineer Battalion "Iseo" moved from Bolzano to Trento, where on

14632-622: Was fought by the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia against the Austrian Empire in 1859 and played a crucial part in the process of Italian Unification . A year prior to the war, in the Plombières Agreement , France agreed to support Sardinia's efforts to expel Austria from Italy in return for territorial compensation in the form of the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice . The two states signed

14756-577: Was killed by his brother Cansignorio (1359–1375), who beautified the city with palaces, provided it with aqueducts and bridges, and founded the state treasury. He also killed his other brother, Paolo Alboino. Fratricide seems to have become a family custom, for Antonio (1375–1387), Cansignorio's natural brother, slew his brother Bartolomeo, thereby arousing the indignation of the people, who deserted him when Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan made war on him. Having exhausted all his resources, he fled from Verona at midnight on 19 October 1387, thus putting an end to

14880-533: Was killed by the faction of the nobles. The reign of his son Alberto della Scala as capitano (1277–1302) was a time of incessant war against the counts of San Bonifacio, who were aided by the House of Este. Of his sons, Bartolomeo, Alboino and Cangrande I della Scala (1291–1329), only the last shared the government (1308); he was great as warrior, prince, and patron of the arts; he protected Dante , Petrarch , and Giotto . By war or treaty, he brought under his control

15004-487: Was led by Field Marshal Ferenc Graf Gyulay . The newly-formed United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia also supported the Franco-Italian alliance. Their ruler, Alexandru Ioan Cuza , was given 10,000 rifles and ammunition by Napoleon III. Napoleon III, with his unwavering and very genuine sympathy, also sent a military mission to Bucharest . Encouraged, Cuza formed a new military camp at Ploiești . As

15128-418: Was part of the series of international conferences or congresses , opening with the Congress of Vienna in 1814–1815, that marked the continuing enforcement of the " Concert of Europe ". In 1866, following the Third Italian War of Independence , Verona, along with the rest of Venetia, became part of a united Italy. The advent of fascism added another dark chapter to the annals of Verona. Throughout Italy,

15252-403: Was the Val Canale. In case the 4th Alpine Army Corps would have failed in its task to hold the Alpine valleys the Italian Army had two further nuclear armed heavy artillery groups stationed near the Alps: the 9th Heavy Artillery Group "Rovigo" in Verona and the 27th Heavy Artillery Group "Marche" in Udine . The Rovigo was armed with M115 howitzers and the 27th group with M110 howitzers ,

15376-458: Was the first Christian martyr and, according to the Acts of the Apostles, was stoned just outside Jerusalem, in a place still remembered today, near the so-called " Porta Leoni ". The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is a Romanesque style church, the third such structure on its site, built from 1123 to 1135, over the 4th-century shrine to Verona's patron saint , St. Zeno (bishop of Verona from 362 to 380 when he died). The façade dominates

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