The Church of St. Zeno Maggiore, Verona

Begun in the 5th century, this church was rebuilt in the 12-13th century in magnificent Romanesque style. The front is dominated by a large rose window, beneath which is a richly decorated, porch. Inset with carved panels by the 'Master Nicoḷ', and with characteristic lions supporting it's pillars, the porch provides a frame for the superb bronze doors. The latter are of two distinct styles and ages. The left hand door, looking from the front, is the oldest (1135-40), with a more primitive look to the cartoon like figures, with their pointed conical helmets. This is a particularly significant early example of such decoration and a copy of it is to be seen in the plaster-cast gallery at the Victoria & Albert Museum. The right hand, and slightly later door has more detailed, naturalistic figures. A sample of one of these panels, a crucifixion from the left door, has been used as a background to this page and a similar area from the cast is shown here.

The front of St. Zeno

The front of St. Zeno, with it's campanile looming out of the morning mist. We visited it early on the morning of Sunday 6th September 1999 and the group of people have all just left the church service, via the door down the left hand side of the church leading through the cloisters, to the area around the altar, which is now used for services.

The top half of St Zeno's Porch

The richly decorated top and interior of the porch.

Detail of left pillar of porch  Detail of right pillar of porch

Details of the capitals of the two supporting columns, with their grotesque figures

Base of colums, with characteristic lions

Base of columns, with lions, characteristic of so many romanesque churches in southern and mid Europe.


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