The small town of Lombardy, located near Milan, at the foot of the Alps, is an attractive destination for tourists. This is a corner of the Middle Ages, preserved in the fortress walls, ancient palaces and cathedrals. The picturesque beauty of nature harmoniously fits into the medieval flavor of city landscapes. The words of the hero of an old comedy come to mind, proudly asserting: "I am Truffaldino from Bergamo!" He really had something to be proud of.
How to get to upper Bergamo
The territory of Bergamo is divided into 2 parts: the Upper Town and the Lower. The second floor of the city is interesting for its ancient sights, architectural monuments, peers of the Roman Empire, so you should devote most of your time to exploring the upper part of Bergamo. You can get there in three ways: on foot from the railway station 20-30 minutes; by funicular in 10 minutes or by bus N 1 - 15 minutes.
It all depends on your physical condition: if health permits, it is best to climb on foot along the ancient stones, admire the magnificent surrounding nature, breathe in the air of true Italy. But the ascent by cable car, in a comfortable trailer, is also a great pleasure from a short journey, when amazing beauty is seen from above. The feeling is as if I found myself in a fairy-tale kingdom-state.
Sights of the Upper Town
Castle di San Vigilio
Leaving the funicular, you find yourself on a narrow, typically medieval Via alla rossa, leading to the ancient castle of San Vigilio. This fortification embodies the entire history of not only Bergamo, but the whole of Italy. Its ancient walls (the first mention of the castle in the 6th century AD) is remembered by the Romans and barbarians, who more than once captured the fortress. Several times the walls of the castle were fortified and rebuilt. The last reconstruction took place in the 15th century during the era of the Venetian Republic. In this form, the fortress castle "survived" to this day, except for some destruction caused by the Austrians in 1829.
Now tourists have the opportunity to see the gray stones of the fortress walls, touch them and feel the distant era. There is a museum exhibiting historical documents and antiquities.
The museum is open from 09.30 am to 13.00; from 13.00 to 17.30; Sat - 09.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Free admission.
How to get to the castle: another funicular of Upper Bergamo leads to it, which takes you to di San Vigilio in 5 minutes. The funicular station is in front of the San Alessandro gate. But you need to take into account that the funicular does not work during siesta (12.30-14.30) and it is convenient to calculate your time. It is not worth walking up on foot in order to save strength for further examination.
You can come by bus N 1 from the railway station, getting off at the bus stop of the same name.
The funicular operates every day from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm; Fri, Sat - until 01.30; Sun - from 09.00 to 22.45, except for siesta. Siesta in Bergamo is an obligatory break, a sacred cause, a tradition that has developed over the centuries. When planning your next visit, you need to remember this and use this time for rest.
Church of the patron saint of Bergamo
Descending from the hill of San Vigilio, you find yourself on the Duomo (Cathedral) square, where there is an architectural gem - the Cathedral of Sant'Alessandro (just in front of it there is a funicular stop), erected on the site of an old temple of the 6th century. This true masterpiece is the fruit of the work of two architects: Averulino (15th century) and Carlo Fontano (17th century). The interior was designed in the 18th century, and the dome was added in the 19th century.
An indelible impression is made by the inner content of the temple: the artistic masterpieces of the ancient painters Giovanni Moroni, Tiepolo and others found their rightful place here.
The cathedral is open: every day, from 07.30 to 18.30; break - 12.00-15.00 entrance - 5 euros, reduced -3 euros (it is also valid for the Adriano Bernareqqi museum)
Church of St. Mary Maggiore
Next to the cathedral is the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, built in the 2nd century, from the 11th to the 13th. In the 17th century. In it, the reconstruction of the interior interiors in the lush Baroque style was organized, which amaze with their decoration. The facade of the church has retained the Romanesque style. Buried here is the famous 18th century composer Donizetti, who was born in Bergamo.
The Basilica is open: November-March - Mon.-Fri, from 09.00 to 12.30, from 14.30 to 17.00, break - from 12.30 to 14.30; Sat - until 18.00; Sundays, holidays - 09.00-12.45, 15.00-18.45; April-October - every day, from 09.00 to 12.30, from 14.30 to 18.00.
A masterpiece of architecture - the Colleone Chapel
The Colleone Chapel is attached to the basilica - a real architectural miracle, the facade of which is decorated with an elegant fancy openwork, rose windows, topped with an intricate dome. The chapel was erected as a tomb over the ashes of an important personage of Italy - Bartolomeo Colleone in 1476 (later his daughter Medea was buried here). The inside of the chapel is just as beautiful: amazing frescoes by Tiepolo, an altar with magnificent statues of saints; paintings, gilded decorative details - everything is in the Renaissance style.
Open for visits: March-October - every day, 09.00-12.30; 14.00-18.30; siesta - 12.30-14.00; November-February: Tuesday-Sunday - 09.00-12.30; 14.00-16.30; day off - Monday. The entrance is free.
Memory of Donizetti - Museum in the Palace of Mercy
From Piazza Duomo, walk along the typically medieval Via Arena to building 9 to see the Palais des Mercy. It is interesting not only as an architectural monument, but also as a museum of the aforementioned Gaetano Donizetti. It displays exhibits - evidence of the life and work of the talented composer, whose operas are still staged on the stages of famous opera houses in the world.
The museum is open: June-September, Tue-Sun 09.30-13.00, 14.00-17.30;
Oct-May: Tue-Fri, 09.30-13.00; Sat, Sunday and holidays - 09.30-13.00, 14.00-18.00. The ticket price is 3 euros.
Archaeological Museum
The next object worthy of attention is located in the neighborhood - the Archaeological Museum, which has interesting exhibits of antiquity, household items of the Lombards.
Address: Piazza Citadella, 9.
The museum is open: Apr-Sept, Tue-Fri, 9.00-12.30, 14.30-18.00, Sat, Sun - 09.00-19.00.
Oct-Apr, Tue-Sun, 09.00-12.30, 14.30-17.30. Closed - Monday, 01. 01, 25. 12. Admission is free.
The Historical Museum should also not be ignored in order to get a more complete picture of Bergamo of the Venetian era, especially since it is open in the former monastery of San Francesco.
Museum is open: Tue-Fri. 09.30-13.00, 14.30-18.00, closed - Monday. Entrance - 3 euros.
Piazza Vecchia - Old Square
From pl. Duomo through the gallery of the town hall, adjacent to it, you can go to the center of Upper Bergamo - Old Square, whose history began in the 14th century, and the active development of the square took place at the beginning of the 15th century. The town hall (12th century) Palazzo della Rajone is a real monument of antiquity here. Its facade is crowned with the symbol of the Venetian Republic - a sculpture of a winged lion holding an open book with its paw, which symbolizes peacetime.
The Town Hall is open: Jun-Sept. Tue-Sunday, from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm; Sat, Sun - until 23.00; Oct-May: Tue-Fri - 9.30 am to 5.30 pm; Sat, Sun - 10.00-18.00 Ticket - 5 euros, reduced price - 3 euros.
Campanone Tower
Opposite the palace-town hall, there is another more ancient architectural monument - the Campanone tower (11th century, rebuilt in the 15th century after a fire). If you look down from the top of the tower, you will see a picture that allows you to forget for a moment that the courtyard is in the 21st century: the color of the Middle Ages is so strong. The bells of the tower beat off 180 blows at 22 o'clock, as it was in the old days when the city gates were closed.
Open: November-March: Tue-Fri. 09.30-18.00; Apr-Oct: Tue-Fri 09.30-18.00, closed, 09.30-18.00; Mon.-does not work.
Entrance fee is 3 euros.
New palace
Next to Palazzo Ragione, the New Palace is a classic, light-colored building with columns, built in the 17th century as an administrative building. It housed city officials until 1873, and now houses the rich library of May, a famous Italian philologist and cardinal of the 19th century. If you go around the New Palace, behind it you can see the oldest structure of the square - the Church of San Michele al-Arco (857), where the university is located today.
Open: daily, from 08.30 to 12.30; 14.35-18.30, closed - Wednesday.
Sights of the Lower City
At this point, you can end your trip to the sights of Upper Bergamo and go down the funicular to the Lower Town, where there are delights of their own.
Carrara Academy
One of them is the Academy of Carrara - an art gallery founded by the famous patron of the city - Count Giacomo Carrara. In this artistic treasury, visitors are delighted with more than 2000 paintings by the wonderful masters of the Italian brush: Raphael, Botticelli, Mantegna and Titian. I would like to note the patriotism of Italians: they do not keep masterpieces in private collections, do not make them an object of profit, but willingly give them to museums and galleries.
Address: Academic pl. (Plassa dell Accademia), 82 a.
Opening hours: Apr-Sep, every day, except Mondays. 10.00-13.00, 15.00-18.45; Oct.-March - Monday, except Mondays, 09.30-13.00, 14.30-17.45. Entrance - 3 euros.
Gallery of contemporary art
Opposite the Gallery of Carrara is another temple of creative works - the Gallery of Modern Art (1991). It is a branch of the Academy of Arts, where canvases by Italian and Spanish artists of the 20th century are displayed.
Address: Via S. Tommaso, 53. Open for visits: Tue-Sun. from 10.00 to 19.00; Thursday 10.00-22.00; weekend-monday
Easter: 10.00-19.00, 01.05 - 10.00-22.00.
Tickets: post. collections - free; temporary - 5 euros.
A day in the city is an unforgettable journey that leaves the best impressions.
