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SEE BERGAMO

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Table of Contents: 
NOT SO ANCIENT BERGAMO
LOWER TOWN
UPPER TOWN.

See Bergamo's upper city as well as the lower town.
See old Bergamo.

Bergamo sits in a triangle with Milan on the west, Lake Como on the north, and Verona on the east. None are more than 90 minutes’ drive from Bergamo.

To the north of town is the beginning of the Alps. To the south are sweeping plains. All about are vineyards and farms. No wonder they consider it one of the prettiest towns in Italy.

Bergamo consists of two towns. A medieval Città Alta (“Upper Town”), and the modern expansion (1800A.D.+) below.

The upper town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Romans are the first inhabitants on record, although we know a Celtic group was in the area first. We don’t know anything about them. The Romans arrive circa 49 B.C.

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Not So Ancient

The Romans hold on to the area (mostly) until the fall of the Byzantine Empire, around 569 A.D. From then on, Bergamo bounces from owner to owner.

The Lombards, Carolingian Empire, Kingdom of Bohemia, Duchy of Milan, etc., before ending in the Republic of Venice in 1428.

Venice holds on for the next 370 years, leaving the most significant mark on Bergamo we see today.

Napoleon changes a lot for only being in power for a short time.
Napoleon will shake up much of Europe.

With the arrival of Napoleon in 1796, they start bouncing again, beginning with the First French Republic.

Next, the French Empire, Napoleon’s Italy, Lombardy, and the Austrian empire, before joining the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

They will remain in the kingdom until Italy becomes a republic by 1946.

This colorful history leads to a scenic town and region.

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The Lower Town

Some call it the “New” town, I guess that depends on what you are using to compare.

Many of the buildings north of Piazza Giacomo Matteotti date to the 1400-1800s. The mixture of architecture makes strolling the Lower Town fun.

Part of the new grand welcome to Bergamo.
Piazza Giacomo Matteotti (circa 1837).

 

The detail on the outside is almost as interesting as the interior.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Immacolata delle Grazie.

 

In honor of San Bernadino who visited the city two times.
San Bernardino in Pignolo, Bergamo (1461).

 

The church houses a large canvas, a masterpiece by Lorenzo Lotto, the Pala Martinengo
Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano (1642).

 

Any performance in this theater would be an experience.
Gaetano Donizetti theater. (1780).

 

This building was part of the new welcome piazza.
Built as a new government building in the 1800s, today banks and insurance companies own them.

 

You will see Bergamo's main street connecting the lower and upper towns
The tree-lined Viale Vittorio Emanuele II.

 

Still stately, this was the address in the 1800s
The Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII leads from the train station to Bergamo’s front door.

 

Built at a time before cars and public transportation, residential streets are not far from the center of town.
Surprise there is charming street around many corners.

 

This watch tower is part of the mighty Venetian fortifications.
Looking up, you will probably see something historic.

So do not zoom through the lower town. There is a lot to see. The art museums alone could fill a good part of the day.

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Città Alta, the Upper City.

The locals I ask say it goes by upper city or town in English.

This area is the pretty sister that everyone has to look up to, literally. Its position, hanging over the lower town, makes it visible from just about anywhere.

Written records exist from the Romans, beginning in 59 B.C.

They are uncovering parts of the Roman forum near the center of the Upper Town.

See Bergamo and its famous upper city.
The Upper City.

 

You will see Bergamo has been recycling buildings here for hundreds of years.
The Ex-Monastero di Sant’Agostino is now a public university.

 

It is a great town to get lost in.
Venetian architecture is everywhere.

 

Even in the summer, crowds are not as bad as some Italian sites.
It’s not unusual to find a piazza (almost) all to yourself.

 

You will see Bergamo's tight compact streets sometimes make seeing what is right in front of you difficult.
The Cathedral is more accessible to see from afar.

 

The Colleoni family was anything but sedate.
Can you tell where the showy Cappella Colleoni ends, and Santa Maria begins?

 

The chapel was for his daughter.
Being a Colleoni was good.

 

Locals have been meeting here for hundreds of years.
Piazza Vecchia – the living room of the upper town.

 

Nothing is too far away in the upper city
The Palazzo della Ragione separates the Piazza Vecchia from the Piazza Duomo.

 

see Bergamo and its post government building.
The Biblioteca Civica (public library) Angelo Mai overlooks the fountain.

 

Both of these carvings are probably recycled building material from the Roman period.
Stop and see Bergamo in every direction. There is detail everywhere.

 

On a clear day, Milan, 25 miles to the west can be seen from the western walls.
The views from the ancient walls are worth seeing.

 

Porta S. Agostino is one of the few gates wide enough for a car.
Walk, or drive, through the walls to understand how massive they are.

 

Most of Italy's ancient towns have little to no parking and I get tickets even though I pay for parking.
The funicular will whisk you to the upper town.

 

I never get lost for too long in Bergamo
Nooks, crannies, alleyways, and porticos are worth exploring.

This is a great town to lose yourself for a few hours.

Peek around this corner, try that staircase.

There are many magical passageways to explore.

 

Before there was indoor plumbing, there was communal washing
The Italian Lavatoio Medievale will make you appreciate the washer and dryer back home.

 

Roman temples are now Venetian foundations and walls.
Who knows how old this guy could be. They have been recycling for thousands of years.

 

You will see Bergamo no longer closes the gates at night.
Porta San Giacomo, one of the ancient gates.

 

See Bergamo Summary.

How did a place this captivating avoid your radar? You can see Bergamo has so much to offer. And this is just the town.

Nearby are wineries, lakes, mountains, and valleys to explore.

Day trips to Como, San Pellegrino, Milan, Verona, or the Alps are all very do-able.

Plan a few days to see Bergamo and all that it has to offer. It is a beautiful corner of Italy.

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