. The story of Verona . however is sweet, and commends itself more asa liqueur than as a beverage. The little town too isfull of interest, and many an hour might be whiledaway in this mediasval hamlet did the castles lying onthe right bank of the Adige not claim a passing noticein their turn. The first of these in geographical order is the castleof Villafranca Veronese, so called to distinguish it fromthe other seven and twenty Villafrancas which are saidto lie scattered over the face of the globe. It liesbetween Verona and Mantua, and owes its fame inmodern days to the peace signed here, 12th
. The story of Verona . however is sweet, and commends itself more asa liqueur than as a beverage. The little town too isfull of interest, and many an hour might be whiledaway in this mediasval hamlet did the castles lying onthe right bank of the Adige not claim a passing noticein their turn. The first of these in geographical order is the castleof Villafranca Veronese, so called to distinguish it fromthe other seven and twenty Villafrancas which are saidto lie scattered over the face of the globe. It liesbetween Verona and Mantua, and owes its fame inmodern days to the peace signed here, 12th July 1859,between the Emperors of Austria and France, whenLombardy was ceded to Italy, and a very forward steptaken in the events which culminated in Italian unityand independence. The cause that led originally tothe erection of the fortress was as follows: — TheVeronese had built a castle at Ostiglia on the Po,a castle that was of all-important moment to them froma military and commercial point of view. The fre-288. 289 Verona and its Croivn of Castles quent inundations of the river had damaged the fort,and the Veronese saw fit to repair it. The inhabitantsof Mantua were annoyed that this frontier town shouldbe put into a condition to resist their incursions, andthey determined to molest the works, or if possibleto prevent them altogether. This resolution annoyedthe Veronese not a little. The Mantuans howeverpersisted, and finally both parties resorted to Veronese were victors in the fight; but theMantuans only prepared for further action, and resolvedon being revenged. To guard against any surprisesthe Veronese set to work to erect a fort in an advancedand advantageous spot, and chose Villafranca for thepurpose. The works were at once begun ; in 1202the castle was finished, and a good body of soldierswere placed in it to guard against any attack or invasionfrom the south. The walls and bastions are of remark-able solidity and thickness, and the fortress of Villafr
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