Dante wrote about it. Mantegna painted in it. You'll probably walk past without stopping
Basilica of San Zeno
Best Time to VisitMorning — light through the stained glass fills the nave
Suggested Duration45 min – 1 hour
The bronze Romanesque door has 48 panels telling the Bible in detail — every character with a story, every scene with a moral. It was made in the 12th century for people who couldn't read. It's still there, intact, 15 minutes on foot from the Arena. Mantegna's polyptych in the apse is considered by art historians one of the masterpieces of the Italian Quattrocento. The Arena queues. San Zeno never does.
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Visitor Tip
Don't miss the 48 bronze door panels from the 12th century — they told the Bible to people who couldn't read. Mantegna's polyptych in the apse is considered one of the masterpieces of the Italian Quattrocento. The Arena queues. San Zeno never does.