A UNESCO Site, Citta Alta, Hidden in Plain Sight.
When in the Milan area, some people try to make it to the Lake Como area for a day. They don’t even try to get to Bergamo. What’s more, most don’t even know about Bergamo.
Bergamo is a city approximately 25 miles northeast of Milan. Depending on who you ask, it sits at the bottom of the Italian Alps or the Dolomites. As both are part of the Alps, let’s use that term.
It is approximately 25-miles southeast of Lecco, on the south-eastern branch of Lake Como. Hopefully, you are starting to see it is in a pretty neighborhood.
Bergamo, the fourth-largest city in Lombardy, has a population of over 120,000 and is the most-visited city after Milan. Bergamo has two very distinct parts. There is the modern 21st-century city below, although it also has pieces of incredible old architecture.
And there is the Citta Alta (“Upper City”), a hilltop town encircled by massive Venetian defensive walls. This area is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bergamo.
The Lower City.
Unfortunately, many people blow right past this area in a bee-line to get to the Città Alta. That’s a shame as several jewels are worth finding here.
Starting at the train station on the Piazzale Guglielmo Marconi, check out the Ferrovie delle Valli palace. This train station, dating from 1906, is to your right as you exit the Bergamo train station.
From here, people would connect to trains heading to the Seriana and Brembana Valley. And most popular, the train to the Grand Hotel, Casino and spa of San Pellegrino. It is one of the few remaining buildings in the Liberty-style of architecture.
Unfortunately, the trains to San Pellegrino no longer run, and the station sits empty. It takes very little imagination to see what it was in its heyday.
Departing the Piazzale, on your left is the Casa Paleni Liberty, dating from 1904. It is one of the more interesting buildings along the Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII.
At first glance, the house looks traditional. But take a closer look at the door and window frames and the concrete decorations on the facade. This decoration was trendsetting at the time. The Paleni Company did the sculptures.
They also did the sculptures for the facade of Chiesa Prepositurale di Santa Maria Immacolata delle Grazie. (dating 1857 to 1875.) The church is your next stop along the avenue about three minutes’ walk on your right. The majority of the stately buildings are from circa 1900.
The church looks like a regular building until you see the entrance and green dome. The outside does not prepare you for the inside.
Largo Porta Nuova
You are standing at a corner where the city used to stop. The cross avenue is the Largo Porta Nuova, a major east-west road. It was outside of the walls until 1837.
But what is going on across the street? There are two identical Roman (neo-classical) temples, one on either side of the avenue.
These are the Propylaea of Porta Nuova. Dating from 1837, they mark the ceremonial entrance to the city at that time.
To build them, they tear down the old convent and church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Also, the medieval walls. Today, these classical buildings are small stores and a florist.
Piazza Giacomo Matteotti Area.
They also mark the beginning of Viale Roma, the main street of a different time. For the next six blocks or so, much of the architecture dates from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Just pass the Propylaea is the Piazza Giacomo Matteotti. This open space includes trees, arcades, cafes, and bars.
To your right is the Teatro Donizetti. The current building, dating from 1800, is in dedication to the hometown boy, Gaetano Donizetti.
Alongside Rossini and Bellini, he was a leading Italian composer of the bel canto style of opera. (circa 1515-45).
In October and November, they present three of his operas during the Donizetti Festival. To hear a performance of any kind in this theater is an experience.
The buildings you see lining the west side of the Piazza date from circa 1900. Today, the majority of the buildings on the square are banks or government buildings.
Pinning the square down on the west side is the Torre dei Caduti, a towering memorial to the fallen people of WWI. Inside is a brief history of the tower and a staircase to the 6th-floor observation deck.
I could wander around this area for a few hours just admiring the architecture and the locals.
Viale Vittorio Emanuele II
After a few short blocks, the Viale Roma becomes the Viale Vittorio Emanuele II. This avenue leads to the Città Alta. Older official buildings make way for apartment blocks dating from the last 60 years. There are a few private houses from the 1800s, but alas, many are disappearing for “progress.” Just around the curve at the top of the street is the Funicolare Città Alta. A quick, easy way to the Città Alta.
Also in the Lower City
- Accademia Carrara – In 1796, Count Giacomo Carrara left the city his art collection, money, and a wish for an art academy. By 1810, the academy is already overgrowing, so they build the neoclassical palace the Accademia is still in today. The collection now numbers more than 1,800 paintings dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Artists include Pisanello, Botticelli, Bellini, Carpaccio, and Raphael, to name a few.
- Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GAMEC) – is the modern collection of the Accademia Carrara. In 1991, they built a modern gallery across the street for this growing collection. Artists on display here, which is predominantly Italian, include Boccioni, Morandi, Campigli, Savinio, and Manzù.
- Piazza Pontida is a 10-minute walk west of the Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, on the pedestrian Via XX Settembre. This area is famous for the after-work/before-dinner crowd.
Going Up, The Citta Alta.
16th-century Venetian Walls surround the medieval city. Underneath the Città Alta are remains of its Roman beginnings. In 1428 it fell under the Venetian State and remained there for the next 350 years.
The town sits within the Rocca di Bergamo fortress. Many of the streets are on an incline, connecting elegant piazzas. Each square seems to have something of interest. The narrow alleys have boutiques, cafes, trattorias, and wine bars snuggled into every nook and cranny.
The Piazza Vecchia
- Palazzo del Podestà – The current building, dating from 1513, was the restoration of a building from the 1200s. It was first the residence of the Suardi-Colleoni families who were the town’s Chief Magistrate. For three hundred years it was the center for public functions. A footbridge connects it with the Palazzo della Ragione. During restoration beneath the building, they find Roman remains and structures. These include walls and the remains of workshops, determining the location of the previous Roman Forum. Today it is home to the History Museum.
- Palazzo della Ragione – dating from the 12th century, this palace has been the town hall, a courthouse, and a theater. Today it has a small museum exhibiting the remains of an ancient cathedral and religious artifacts.
- Torre Civica – is the name of the 12th-century bell tower. Locals also call it Campanone. At 10:00 PM, it tolls 100 times to announce the closing of the cities gates.
- Contarini Fountain – is in the middle of the piazza and dates to 1780. It was a gift from the chief magistrate Alvise Contarini to provide fresh water.
- Palazzo Nuovo (New Palace), was acting as Bergamo’s Town Hall until 1873. Today, it is home to the Angelo Mai Library. Its collection includes ancient books, engravings, manuscripts, and other priceless artifacts, some dating to the 1500s.
Citta Alta Piazza del Duomo
This piazza is adjacent to the Piazza Vecchia.
- Santa Maria Maggiore – is a church dating from 1137 on the site of another church and a Roman temple. They manage to build the high altar and the presbytery quickly. The rest of the church will take more than 200 years to complete. The bell tower dates from 1436.
- Cappella Colleoni – In 1472, Bartolomeo Colleoni, from one of the most cities leading families, tears down part of Santa Maria. He builds a chapel dedicated to the saints Bartholomew, Mark, and John the Baptist for his daughter Medea. It has numerous ornate marble porches and decoration on the outside. The inside includes lavishly carved statues and various tapestries.
- Duomo di Bergamo (Bergamo Cathedral) is the Roman Catholic cathedral of Bergamo. Saint Alexander is the patron saint of the city. With parts dating from the 1400s, many parts now date from restorations in the 1500s, 1600s, and 1800s. A stroll around the interior can have a very calming effect.
- The Baptistry – is outside near the cathedral. The octagonal building, dating from 1340, was dismantled and moved to its present site in 1889.
Also in the Città Alta.
Torre del Gombito – is the tallest tower in the Città Alta and dates from the 1100s. Today it serves as a travel information office and lookout. The 263 steps will take you up 170 feet for a birds-eye view.
Nearby are small sections of the original Roman roads. Ask at the tower.
Why Are You Waiting?
Can you begin to see why Bergamo is such a jewel?
And that’s before I mention the incredible cuisine, the award-winning wines and other fascinating places a day-trip away.
They have nine kinds of cheese with DOP status, seven salume, and three DOP wines. It just keeps getting better.
There’s a lot more to northern Italy than Milan. Why are you waiting?
Read more on Bergamo.
“See Crete” Continued on Page T3 “Taste Spain” Continued on T4