Arche Scaligere (Scaligeri Tombs), Verona

The Scaliger Tombs form one of Verona’s most prominent Gothic ensembles. These five funerary monuments commemorate the Scaligeri family, who ruled Verona during the 13th and 14th centuries. While often associated with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the idea that this was the location of Juliet’s staged death belongs to literary tradition rather than documented history.

The tombs stand in a small, gated courtyard beside the Church of Santa Maria Antica, the family’s private chapel. Their design resembles elaborate Gothic tabernacles: each features a highly carved sarcophagus and a canopy, with the deceased depicted on horseback in full armor symbolizing power and leadership.

The rise of these monuments reflects the political ascent of the Scaligeri. Mastino I della Scala secured control over Verona in 1259, earning his family hereditary authority. Yet, as in many medieval dynasties, internal rivalries eventually led to their downfall — an echo of the dramatic themes that later inspired Shakespeare’s storytelling.

Celebrated as some of the finest examples of Gothic funerary architecture in Italy, the Scaliger Tombs remain a powerful reminder of the family who shaped Verona’s medieval history and left a legacy visible in the city’s towers, fortifications, and political memory.