If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 394

Castelvecchio, Torre del Mastio, Verona, Italy

This unused postcard distributed by Silvana Editoriale has a photograph of the Torre del Mastio in the Castelvecchio.  Castelvecchio is a medieval fortress built 1354-1356.  When our friend visited Verona, Italy he sent a couple of postcards and this is one of them.

The planning and constructing of the Castelvecchio fortress took a prolonged period of time beginning about 1298 when it is thought that Alberto I of Scala commissioned the building.  Part of the wall follows the shape of the nearby river.  During the reign of Alberto (1277-1302) there was incessant war and a need for this type of fortification.  The city of Verona had a population of over 40,000 prior to the Black Death or bubonic plague of 1348-49. 

There are many historic buildings in Verona and as a result it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Since there was a Roman military settlement in Verona there are still monuments from that era that have survived to the present day.   It was interesting to learn that although some of the Roman roads are mostly hidden from view they still exist almost intact about 6 meters or about 20 feet under the surface.  Also most houses have cellars built on Roman artifacts that are rarely accessible to visitors.  A strong earthquake in the year 1117 destroyed or damaged many buildings resulting in a massive Romanesque rebuilding. 

As always, thanks to our friend who sends postcards.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verona
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelvecchio_Verona