Miniguide "BERGAMO - PLACES OF INTEREST" (English)

ENGLISH

PLACES OF INTEREST

A walk through art and history

BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES VIA PIETRA

IOR ITA

TO RE T

VIA

DE LL

AZ ZA

CA F

RE ESA

G. C

CE

G.

ELES TINI

VIA

VIA BRI

VIA A. DA ROSCIATE

I AR D SU AN FO RT E GI VIA

VIA

VIA TORRETTA

MA ZZ I

NI ZO FRIZ

MA ZZ

I

TEO

DO

RO

VIA

VIA

PP

CAL EPI O

VIA A. D A

BO RG O

PA LA Z

ZO

P.ZA SANT’ANNA

CA

I CIN

BORGO PALAZZO

AN GE LO

VIA

MA

I

DIV ISIO

NE T

VIA

NT INA RID E

UC

V IA

BO NO

VIA TTI ORE

RIO

B VIA

DAV ID

ONO

ATB LINEA 1 PIAZZALE G. MARCONI

LI OVE L VIA N

VIA G. LONG O

SA

RE

VIA DEI C

VIA

VIA GH IRA RD ELL I

VIA

ON

VIA

OTTO MARZAB

AC

A. GHEZZI

DE LL

A. PIN ET TI ND IS LE

ME RO NI

A. C A

VI A

AN TO MA SO

I

EI

E SO N MA VIA

’ALZ ANO G. D VIA

PA LE O O TR

PIE VIA

GA

TEB one Stazi(Tram)

i

CA PA

VIA N D AZ ASTR EL ZU O RR O

OLO

L. P ALA ZZ VIA

PAV ENTA

O

E GN B AN CAL VIC.

VIA SAN BER NARDINO

G.

MO RO NI

RO AZZ A AN L

VIA S

N LO RENZ O ZIO

VIA SA

PA N CRA

SAN

VIA

. LU PO

O SSANDR

VIA SA

NT’AL E VIA SANT’ANT

ON INO

VIA MANARA

VIA DE I

VIA SOLAT A

VIA TA SSIS

VIA GE NERA

VIA F. NULL O VIA L APAC ANO

VIA S

VIA S

I ALBR ICC LE A.

IL AN O VIA M

A POLON I A RI I N

LEGION

VIA M

G

O

AN DR SS

FIL ZI VI A

AN TA LU CIA

G. DO N VIA

VIA S

VELA

VIA V. VIA DEI GALLIARI

SA NP AO LO LE

DON

NI

M IN

TE

ED ELL VIAL

A IES CH VIA GIO 24 MA G

NOVEMB RE VIA 4

RGAMO

VIA TO TI VIA C. GOLDONI

ZA

VIA

CO LIN O

MI RA

EM

VIA DEL PA R ADIS

GR AT AR OL I VIA

ZO

VIA

D EL

VIA

NI

A

PIA Z

VIA M

NI FANTO

NZO MA

S AN

VIA

GLI OR TOLA NI VICOL O DE

LLO STAT UTO

VIA SA N

.A P. S

DI RG O LA

URA

DE SA LI T A

VIA D E

VIA

LIA

.

VIA A

VIA BR . BE

U NE J ISIO DIV

VIA

VIA CIFRONDI

I

L DE L

I

VIA

IO

DI

I DUSS VIA CO

RIO LGA

RGO PALAZZO

MI AN

A LONI CEFA

VIA TALLONE

C O OL

E

NI

FO

OL A.N

ZIO N

RATA

UR AIN E

E EV AN

RI DI ARTI

BO A

VIA

G.

VIA M

MA GG

INI ELL

VIA

I ON RN

I TU

T CAS

O

N NA

LUS

i

ne zio e Sta toline Au

Urban Center

Carabinieri

VIA

O MAD

G AN

FO RO

VIA

V IA

VIA

I MA ELO

PIAZZALE DEGLI ALPINI Centro Congressi Giovanni XXIII

VIA

N SA

I FE AF

IA ER

VIA

E

GIOVANN I

OLI

.

D’A

ALBANI

TIN PITEN

VIA

AM

C PAS

OL O DD L’A

VIA A.

I VIA C. BATTIST

AR CL

UID OP AG L IA

NI DO NA DO NI PA V IA OP O ST LIN A. SA CA

LL GA

V IA

VIA

CO CES

OZ

VIA

RAN S. F

AM

ZI

VIA

VIA

III

TI

ON I

PIGN OLO

SI PAS

LL I

GO

SC OT

EG

VIA

RE AT

GALL ICCIO

XX

VIA

AN Z

GIO

A

VIA MAGLIO DEL RAM

D TRA

C LE RIE AB

ZA FAN

AG I OR

ERIN C AT ANTA

CON

G VIA

NI AN IOV

VI

SAN

BORGO SANT’ANTONIO

PIAZZETTA S. SPIRITO

di Bergamo e Prefettura

MELLI ARA VI A T

ET T

S GO

NO N.

VIA N. SAURO

O

TA ET AB

VIA

G PA PA LE VIA

I

S XX VIA

I

BORGO SANTA CATERINA

LARGO DEL GALGARIO VICO LO

Parco Marenzi

SO AS Provincia T. T

NE RO PIAZZA CAVOUR

I SCH ABO TIR VIA VIA GH IS L

SELL

VIA

VI A

N BRU

E BR EM

LE M

VIA BO

IE NT SE

PIAZZA G. MATTEOTTI

ROS

UR LT VO VIA LE SA NT .D EL

VIA

VIA

NI

I TT LO BE

VIA

DE

IA TIG AR IP

O RG

A OM

GALLERIA CRIS S. MARTA PI

DI

LA

R LE

IO UB AS EP

VIA

NT MO

INO

NI V AN GIO

LIS

VIA

T BO SA VIA

SAN VIA

VIA

GIU

CA

AR TR

Parco Suardi

Parco Caprotti

AIG Ostello della Gioventù

D. PIE

TR I

PIAZZALE E. TIRABOSCHI

BORGO PIGNOLO

E TA SAN VIA

O ELL RAD

PE

ER EV PP SE

VIA

VIA

PI

P VIA

NI MI

Clinica Palazzolo GRE P

DO

VIA G .

IS

ZAI

MB IAN CH I

GNOLI

IGN OL

Polizia Locale

HI

RRO Z

LB IN I

ZA

TR MA

O

TE ONA AMB V IA Z

LARGO CINQUE VIE

VIA

Comune di Bergamo

FUR

G EN AR

O CHI

DEI CA

O SC LA ZE V IA PIAZZA DELLA LIBERTÀ

A SC TA

VIA

VIA SANT’O RSOLA

S. PAS

EZ IO

VIA

OR

QU

VEC

VIA

LI EL AT

VIA

VIA B

A AR TIG OR VIAL EA

VIA

VIA DEGLI

PIAZZETTA DEL DELFINO

LO EL

OC

OR

VIA

SC

A IL

VIA

ZI

DE N GAU

I

UP

SAN BENED O E TT RI

ROTONDA DEI MILLE

LARGO N.REZZARA

O

URI

AS RN CO

A.L

ET ELL

RI PIAZZA PONTIDA

BORGO SAN LEONARDO

L TA IGA BR

HI VIA CUCC

GGI

ALM J. P

Piazza Vittorio Veneto

VIA MANZÙ

VIA M. DA C ARAVA

ERA

VIA

Istituto Matteo Rota

ABRUZZI

VIA

VIA DELL’

RINI

LORETO

VIA B. ZEND

VIA F. COGHETTI

TA OT

MOVI A

VI A

VIA

VIA BROSETA Polizia locale

VIA F. COGHETTI

E NT

P.LE DELLA REPUBBLICA

II

VIA A. GRAMSCI

E EL

Parco F.lli Locatelli

VIA

VIA

NU

OSI

D

B C. ON

LO D VICO

VIA DEGLI

PE LA

VIA P

VIA

VIA G. GARIBALDI

E LVIA

LARGO DELLO SPORT

Stadio

PIA L. ZZAL VIA GOISIS E G. C RES CEN ZI

R BO VIA

PIAZZALE OBERDAN

PIAZZA CARRARA

VIA DELLA NOCA

TA

GALLERIA CONCA D’ORO

TO DOT

RILL

S DI

DEI

VIA G.

LET

CA

A LE LIT SA VIA

T’A

ACCA

BORGO SAN TOMASO

Stazione funicolare

ETIA

VIA A. DIAZ

EL

A EM

Parco Diaz

24

PORTA SANT’AGOSTINO

VIALE VITTORIO EMA N U

ATB LINEA 1

O OL V IC

VIA

VIA BROSETA

ED VIAL

SCALETTA DI S. ALESSANDRO

Clinica Castelli VIA G. MAZZINI

VIA A. DIAZ

VIA PORTA DIPINTA

URA LE M

NI LIA VIG

VIA HE LV

P.LE BRIGATA LEGNANO

VIA

LO

OMO IAC

RIO TO VIT

NSERI

ST AT UT O

VIA ALLA ROCC A

VIA

INI

A

VIA RI SMO NDO

DE LL O

I

VIA PA

GO

LE VIA

VIA

GR

O BR

N SA VIA

CARLO

TO RIN O

NE

Clinica S. Francesco

VIA

VICOLO SAN

VIA

VIA

VIA

EL

YR MA

OSM

CCHIA

ADI

VIA

Parco S. Agostino

P.LE SANT’AGOSTINO TA IPIN

CO OC BR

S.

O

i

VIA

TA D POR

VIA PIGNOLO

VIA

VIA R

OGN

VE LUCIA NTA

N. N

O

I ION BA

E

BO L

ROCCA

PORTA S. GIACOMO

RSEN

TA TU T

NOCE VIA IN

D SÈ MO

I

DE .C. AN

DE LL OS

VIA G. MAZZINI

XI NZO

EA RM

OS A VIA R

VIA

T DEL LAZZ A R ET VIA

VIA F. BAR

MANO VIA OS

OR AT LV SA A

ER PI UP AL RT SI PO AS RI .

A GR A VIA S.P. AZZ N VIA .B. G VIA P. B VIA

Parco delle Rimembranze

P.ZZA MERCATO DEL FIENO

A. VI TA

EO AN TT CA

SA VIA VIA

VOLA

MB ITO PIAZZA MERCATO LI PIAZZA L. ANGELINI DELLE SCARPE VIA G. DONIZET TI PIAZZA ATB 3 ROSATE Polizia locale

VIA

H VIA

EX OSPEDALE

VIA

TA AN

VIA

EM UR

VIA

AS ILL

FR AN K

VIA RI

PIAZZA DUOMO

TR

V IVA

LARGO G. BAROZZI

T

NA

C.C AT TA NE O

R A.

VIA

S VIA C O

AR E

DE LL

VIA

Piscina Comunale

LE

A HI

VIA DELLA FARA

PIAZZA VECCHIA

S.

TA

VIA

TED E SCHI NI

VIA

O

INE

VIA

E

SAN

MOR

ILLA AV . RIV

LE

VIA

VICOLO DEL PARADISO

VAG

C OR

PIAZZALE OLIMPIADI

Lazzaretto

LORE ZO N

IS SS TA

VIA

A VIA

SC AL ET TA DE L

TAN FO N

LLA P. S.

A

VIA

VIA

RLAZ ZINO

Carabinieri

. S ALVATORE

I ARM TRE

SCO

LO RO OB

VIA

P.ZZA L. MASCHERONI VIA B. C OLL EON I IO CH EC ALV S VIA

VIA S

VIA

SALITA DELLO

BORGO CANALE

CCOL VIA DELLA BO

PIAZZA DELLA CITTADELLA

Parco la Crotta

SP

NI OVA ANT G. M

VIA

SOLI VIA FAS

VIA

RO SAND

G.

SC EN ZI

AMO DA BERG

LES

NI D IRO MA

V IA

V IA

GRE E

TE ON AP

G. CR E

VIA A.

ALE

PORTA GARIBALDI (PORTA DI S. LORENZO)

CITTÀ ALTA

PORTA S. ALESSANDRO ATB LINEA 1 LARGO COLLE APERTO

A

AN

GL I ORTI

Campo Utili

ROC

V IA

V IA

VIA DE

I ION

NO OR

T EL C. B VIA

Stazione funicolare

LE ANA OC ORG VIA B

CONCA FIORITA VIA

BA

D SU

OR SUD

I EID EL AS

INI

NI RA TU

VALVERDE SCALETTA COLLE APERTO

VIA BO RGO C

NO

VIA

C LE AL

A.

ORTO BOTANICO

VIA SUD ORN O STRADA CONTRADELLO

VIA W. VON GOETHE

2

I AD

V IA

MP RA

AY DEL MORLA NW

E ON ZZ LA OR

UR

VIA

Monastero di Astino

SC

OM

RO ND SA

G.

VIA

VIA

VIA S O T T

ES ’A L NT SA

BA

N IS

VIA SAN VIGIL IO

R AMI

A RN BA

TANTI NO BE LT

A.

V IA

FE LIC E SAN VIGILIO CAV AG

O LL

VIA MAIRONI DA P ONTE

VIA CO S

Castello di San Vigilio

VIA

DE

Parco del Castello di S. Vigilio

VI A

VIA

ER LV VA

Parco dei Colli di Bergamo

VIA W. VON GOETHE

Piazza Vecchia

Monastero di Valmarina

VIA

O

VIA

ETA GN

A

journey between the two cities, one on the hill and the other on the plain, different yet linked by history and interwoven streets, alleys and stairways. Bergamo is a treasure trove, protected yet open to those who wish to see her, for those who yearn to explore her narrow corners of medieval architecture, the lightness of Venetian colonnades, the strength of the stones that gird the city and the breeze of the mountains behind it.

We can recommend two itineraries, diverse yet united. They offer two views of Bergamo, that reveal the lively spirit of a city of culture and business, of contemplation and action, of sky and earth, the Upper and Lower Cities.

The blue itinerary begins with the city on the hill, where we can savour the ambience of the historic district and its monuments, bathed in the gleaming light of the buildings of Piazza Vecchia. It then continues in search of the unique views of the plains and the Alps, with the extraordinary vistas offered by the Civic Tower (Campanone), the Fortress and the Gombito Tower.

The red itinerary amazes for its historic routes through the Pignolo or Sant’Alessandro boroughs and the avenue with its ramparts passing through the Gate of Sant’Agostino, descending to the centre of Lower Bergamo, in the heart of the shopping district.

These tours are perfect for exploring the city’s two faces, through continuously evolving perspectives, linked by the romantic and delightful funicular railways, useful yet unusual, rising to enter the very belly of the Walls until it reaches the ancient heart of Bergamo.

N PIA AL VIA

A. PIN ET TI

NE

VIA CASTA

LI EL

M NO BO

iaria

rrov

e Fe

zion

Sta

The Venetian walls

3

THE HISTORY OF BERGAMO

FROM ONE CENTURY TO THE NEXT

FROM THE IRON AGE TO THE “LORDS”OF MILAN The city was conquered by the Lombards.

Certain places, such as Fara, owe the origin of their names to them.

568/569

First settlement on the Bergamo hill with a village of Celts.

X-IX century B.C.

400 a.C.

200 a.C.

anno 0

200

400

The city came under the rule of the Franks.

774

600

Following the episcopal rule, Bergamo became a free commune ruled over by the Consuls. During this period, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and Palazzo della Ragione were constructed.

1098

800

1000

904 King Berengar relinquished jurisdiction over the city to bishop Adalbert. The bishop renovated the walls and city defences.

197 B.C. With the advent of Roman colonisation, the hilltop settlement began to take on the characteristics of a Roman city, recognised later by Rome as a Municipium in 49 B.C.

King John of Bohemia was called to Bergamo to put an end to strife between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. The rule of the Viscontis, the Lords of Milan, began over the city and territory.

1331

1200

1400

1167 Bergamo joined the Lombard League against Emperor Frederick I. The league, uniting 16 communes, was sanctioned by an oath taken at Pontida Abbey.

FROM THE VENETIAN REPUBLIC TO THE PRESENT After being under the rule of the Viscontis, Bergamo surrendered to the lion of Saint Mark for three and a half centuries.

1428

1400

1500 1430 The first ring of walls known as the “Muraine” was built, surrounding a good portion of the town’s boroughs.

4

Construction began on the mighty defensive walls ringing the hilltop city, continuing until 1588, followed by the reconstruction of the castle on San Vigilio hill. For all intents and purposes, Bergamo became a fortress city.

1561

1600

1700

1734 Construction began on the new Sant’Alessandro fair on the plain below, comprising 350 shops.

After the invasion of Napoleon’s troops and the defeat of Venice, the Bergamo Republic was created, becoming part of the Kingdom of Italy.

1797

1800

Lower Bergamo was linked to Upper Bergamo by the funicular railway, one of the first ever constructed in Italy.

1887

In the fair area, the new town centre was built in Lower Bergamo in the 1920s upon the design of architect Marcello Piacentini.

Bergamo native Angelo Roncalli was elected pope in 1958, with the name of John XXIII, and went down in the Catholic Church’s history for the second Vatican Council.

20th century

1900 1814 The Congress of Vienna sanctioned the passage of Bergamo under Austrian rule.

1859 On the morning of June 8th, Giuseppe Garibaldi entered the city at the head of the Hunters of the Alps.

The citizens of Bergamo made an important contribution to the struggle to unify Italy (Risorgimento): 180 of them participated in the Mille expedition (1860).

5

UPPER BERGAMO UPPER BERGAMO The majority of the city’s monumental and artistic heritage in enclosed within the limited area of Upper Bergamo. The ring of walls built by Venice in the 1500s marks the boundary of this area abounding in history and vestiges of the past.

This concentration indeed aids sightseeing, offering the possibility of strolling through medieval streets and alleyways shaded by towers and bell towers while discovering the city’s most evocative spots. The funicular railway travels from Lower Bergamo to inside the Upper City walls, facilitating access for the visitor. The other funicular railway, on the opposite side only metres from the gate of Sant’Alessandro, ascends San Vigilio hill with its magnificent views.

THE WALLS AND THE GATES Almost one-third of the dwellings of an entire quarter and an important monastery were razed to the ground so that the great construction site of the mighty defensive walls could get under way in 1561 and be completed in 1588. Four gates were inserted into the wall, almost six kilometres long, each of which corresponded to the main thoroughfares leading to the territory and other cities. The gate of

HISTORICAL CENTRE Sant’Agostino, situated on the road to Venice; the gate of San Giacomo on the way to Milan; the gate of Sant’Alessandro on the road for Lecco and Como; the gate of San Lorenzo leading to the valleys.

The walls never came under assault but from one bastion to another, the cannons could have impeded an enemy approach. The cannon batteries in San Michele and San Giovanni can be visited from spring through autumn.

Info: ph. +39 035 242226 www.comune.bergamo.it THE FORTRESS The capitol was set up on the rise of Santa Eufemia, according to several hypotheses on the layout of Bergamo in Roman times. When the city was handed over to the seigniory, thus ending the free Commune, King John of Bohemia had a fortress built. After the walls were constructed, the fortress was transformed into an arsenal, housed a barracks and then a prison. In 1960, it became the site of the Risorgimento Museum. Today, despite being outfitted differently and in the larger context of the city’s Historical Museum, it houses the 1800s section.

Info: ph. +39 035 247116. www.bergamoestoria.it

THE FORMER CONVENT OF SAN FRANCESCO Accessed from Piazza Mercato del Fieno, the monastery of San Francesco was the medieval city’s largest and most important religious complex.

Established in the 12th century and completed in 1500s, it features two large cloisters. The first, known as the Sarcophagus cloister due to the 19 tombs built in the 1200s, was destined as a tomb for the city’s families. The well cloister, the second, offers a lovely view on the Bergamo Alps. Eliminated at the onset of the 19th century, and turned into a barracks and then a prison, the complex became severely damaged; the only part of the church remaining was the apse with its frescoes.

The former monastery is currently the site of the city’s Historical Museum.

Info: ph. +39 035 247116. www.bergamoestoria.it PIAZZA VECCHIA The architecture of Piazza Vecchia fools the eye into believing it is larger than it actually is. As the core of Bergamo’s political and administrative life and all of the Bergamo region, this space began to acquire its current appearance in the 1400s. It was at the beginning of the Venetian rule that this

central area took on the forms and dimensions of the Renaissance, in particular when the building on the western side was transformed into the seat of the Venetian magistrate. The façade was magnificently decorated by one of the era’s most renowned artists, Bramante, who frescoed it in 1477. The piazza assumed its definitive appearance when the new Town Hall was constructed on the eastern side. Faced with white marble, today the building is the home of the Angelo Mai Municipal Library, with its priceless collection of scrolls, illuminated codices, incunabula and archives which recount the city’s history.

PALAZZO DELLA RAGIONE Considered one of the oldest Lombard communal buildings (12th century), the palace consists of a single imposing “hall of trusses”, resting on a base of porticoes, accessed by a great staircase flanking the Campanone (Civic Tower). It was originally used as a council room, then as premises of the court of justice, a theatre and then library. The colonnade beneath the old town hall acts almost as a filter between Piazza Vecchia, where civil power was concentrated, and the square of the Duomo (cathedral), symbol of episcopal power.

The Walls and Gate St. Giacomo

6

7

UPPER BERGAMO

HISTORICAL CENTRE COLLEONI CHAPEL Renowned mercenary warlord Bartolomeo Colleoni had an apse of the basilica demolished to build his own tomb. Having chosen one of the most prestigious places in the city, he commissioned (1470-1472) one of the best known artists of that days: Giovanni Antonio Amadeo. Its extraordinary façade, decorated with polychromatic marble and bas-relief details, seems to compete with the lavish décor of the basilica’s porch.

The sumptuous decorations are dense with meaning, references to ancient Roman culture,

Jewish culture, and Christianity without failing to adore the personage, visible in the portrayal of the feats of Hercules (considered progenitor of Colleoni), represented in four panels beneath the façade’s pillars.

Info: ph. +39 035 210061.

THE BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE Amongst the city’s many historical and artistic assets, the basilica is its greatest monument, and was once held in such consideration as to be deemed the “Chapel of the city”.

1. Colleoni Chapel; inside, eighteenth-century frescoes

by Tiepolo 2. Northern portal with the column-bearing lions 3. Florentine and Flemish tapestries, the tombs of Gaetano Donizetti and S. Mayr 4. The marquetry panels and wooden cross 5. The portal by Giovanni da Campione 6. Central apse 7. Baroque decoration

Civic Tower

CIVIC TOWER (CAMPANONE) A symbol of the medieval city, the town tower is 52 metres high. Its two panoramic floors, which can be reached by a convenient lift, offer not only fantastic views over the rooftops of the historic district and the Alps, but are the perfect places to view Piazza Vecchia. Only from above can one perceive the balanced dimensions of this space, of which the lovely fountain, donated to the city in 1780 by the Venetian magistrate Alvise Contarini, is its focal point. The tower is also referred to as the Campanone for the large bell which, in addition to calling town council meetings, rings more than 100 times every evening at 10 p.m., the old night curfew, or rather, the traditional closing of the city gates in the evening.

Info: ph. +39 035 247116. www.bergamoestoria.it PALACE OF THE MAGISTRATE AND HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF THE VENETIAN AGE – THE INTERACTIVE 1500s Originally the residence of the Suardi-Colleoni families, the Palace of the Magistrate was 8

Baptistery, Colleoni Chapel and Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

home to the Magistrate of Bergamo and the location for various communal functions from the beginning of the 12th to first half of the 15th centuries. The Municipality carried out restoration work on the palace, revealing extremely important findings regarding the city’s history. Remains and structures from the Roman era were discovered beneath the palace.

In 2012, the Historical Museum of the Venetian Age - The Interactive 1500s was opened.

Info: ph. +39 035 247116. www.bergamoestoria.it BAPTISTERY The Baptistery has been in its current location since 1898, complementing the intimate ambience of the Duomo square. The building has ancient origins and was constructed by Giovanni da Campione in 1340 inside the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The Virtues are represented in the fourteenth century statues found in narrow niches on the sides of the octagonal structure in the upper band of red Verona marble pierced by columns. Only open for baptisms.

Info: ph. +39 035 210223.

7 1

3

6

4

5 2

9

UPPER BERGAMO

Duomo - interiors

When the decision was made to build it, also in fulfilment of a vow against the plague, Bergamo natives chose an easily accessed location where the small church of Santa Maria rose. Construction began in 1137. Used for baptisms, the church also served as a hall for civic assemblies.

Toward the middle of the 1300s, Giovanni da Campione was commissioned to build the monumental northern entrance with a porch supported by red marble lions, complete with a three-legged loggia and statue of Saint Alexander on horseback. At the end of the century, a covered and cusped tabernacle was finally added. The southern porch is instead supported by white marble lions. The majestic Romanesque interior, which was supposed to be entirely frescoed, was later transformed by lavish Baroque decorations.

Over the centuries, the Mia Consortium embellished the basilica with works of art. Standing out amongst these is the choir with its astounding wood inlay panels carried out between 1522 and 1555, based on the drawings of Lorenzo Lotto, and the Baroque confessional by Andrea Fantoni.

Info: ph. +39 035 223327. www.fondazionemia.it 10

HISTORICAL BERGAMO

Baptistery detail

DUOMO AND MUSEUM AND THE TREASURE OF THE CATHEDRAL Important discoveries made under the cathedral revealed the presence of two large churches that preceded it, and which traced the current church’s outline: the Palaeo-Christian cathedral and the Romanesque cathedral dedicated to San Vicenzo.

Both buildings were no doubt majestic and lavishly decorated as witnessed by the remains of the mosaic flooring dating back to the 6th century and 13th century frescoes, which can now be toured in the Cathedral’s Museum and Treasure. In the second half of the 1400s, the decision to build the current Duomo was made and renowned architect Filarete contributed to the initial phase. Completed at the end of the 1600s, the church was dedicated to Saint Alexander. The cathedral, which holds works by Gian Battista Tiepolo, Giovan Battista Moroni, Sebastiano Ricci and Andrea Previtali, was completed only in the 19th century with the realisation of the cupola, whereas the façade dates back to 1866.

Info Duomo: ph. +39 035 210223. www.cattedraledibergamo.it Museum Info: ph. +39 035 248772 www.fondazionebernareggi.it

Teatro Sociale (Society Theatre)

TEATRO SOCIALE (SOCIETY THEATRE) Two centuries from the 1808 inauguration, in the spring of 2009, the Society Theatre was reopened to the public with an extensive programme of shows and participations by important artists. This was made possible by an exemplary restoration on this authentic jewel. The theatre was designed by architect Leopoldo Pollack, a student of Piermarini, who rose to enormous fame after building the Royal Villa in Monza and the Arch of Peace in Milan.

Info: www.teatrodonizetti.it THE CITADEL AND CIVIC MUSEUMS This is what remains of the fortification the Viscontis had built when they imposed their seigniory on Bergamo. The Citadel then became home to the Venetian captain and its large open spaces continued to be used for storing grains and as a depository. With the arrival of the French and the Austrians, military use of the structure continued but the building fell in continual decline. This period was ended by restoration work done between 1958 and 1960 which restored the building’s original appearance. It is now the site of the “Enrico Caffi” Civic Museum of Natural

Botanic Garden

Science and the Civic Museum of Archaeology.

The former is known for its collection of ancient fossils, including a deer discovered in 2001 in Borlezza Valley, dating back 700,000 years and one of the oldest flying reptiles ever found, 220 million years old, discovered in a quarry in Seriana Valley. The Archaeological Museum is home to finds from Bergamo and its territory ranging from the prehistoric to medieval ages. The frescoes from a Roman domus discovered in Upper Bergamo are particularly interesting. The “Lorenzo Rota” Botanic Garden is located not far from the Citadel, beside the Venetian powder magazine, offering lovely views on the Upper City where autochthonous, exotic, Mediterranean, aquatic and carnivorous species can be observed.

The“Enrico Caffi”Civic Museum of Natural Science Info: ph. +39 035 286011. www.museoscienzebergamo.it Civic Museum of Archaeology Info: ph. +39 035 242839. www.museoarcheologicobergamo.it “Lorenzo Rota” Botanical Garden Info: ph. +39 035 286060. www.ortobotanicodibergamo.it 11

FROM UPPER BERGAMO

TO LOWER BERGAMO offering magnificent views of the Walls and the Garibaldi Gate.

Info: ph. +39 035 4530400. www.parcocollibergamo.it THE STAIRWAYS There are dozens of stairways and lanes climbing the sides of Bergamo hill and which lead to a world that is right above the city yet remote all the same.

The stairways include “Paradiso”, “Santa Lucia Vecchia”, “More”, “Ortolano”, “Fontanabrolo”, “San Martino”, “Scorlazzino” and “Scorlazzone”. They are the vestiges of a dense network of medieval links between the plain and the hill, or paths to the once numerous fields and gardens. Flanked by dry stone walls or hedges, they offer unique views of the upper and lower cities. The stairways and lanes are perfect for visitors in search of tranquillity and greenery or romantic walks.

LOWER BERGAMO

San Vigilio Castle

THE DONIZETTI ITINERARY It is interesting to retrace the life of Gaetano Donizetti who was born and lived in Bergamo from 1797-1848. The house where he was born can be visited in Borgo Canale, offering a crosssection of the daily life of the composer and his family, while his tomb is located in Santa Maria Maggiore. The Donizetti Museum is a tribute the city wished to make to the Maestro and a visit is an opportunity to have an up-close look at the documents, mementos, portraits and the piano of the great musician who composed more than 70 operas, including “Elisir d’Amore” (1832) and “Lucia di Lammermoor” (1835).

Info: ph. +39 035 244483. www.donizetti.org SAN VIGILIO CASTLE A funicular railway leads from the Upper City to the top of San Vigilio hill, where one can discover the extraordinary surroundings of the Bergamo hills. In the 12th century, a castle was built on San Vigilio hill, which overlooks the city and where a tower from the Roman period once 12

Bergamo Hills

THE BOROUGHS Starting with the 14th century, Bergamo’s historic core stretched along its road system, which

extended down the hill to the countryside. This first urban expansion, in the form of the historic boroughs, involved the eastern and western routes on which the city stretched. Boroughs that developed westward included Canale, Sant’Alessandro and San Leonardo, while Sant’Antonio, Palazzo, Pignolo, San Tomaso and Santa Caterina reached toward the east.

PORTA NUOVA The heart itself of modern Bergamo, Porta Nuova’s expanse is a true gate as it was built when a wide opening in the medieval “Muraine” walls was necessary. This took place with the inauguration of the “Strada Ferdinandea” (now Viale Vittorio Emanuele). Two Neoclassic buildings or propylaea, were built for the occasion, located on either side to house the tollhouses.

DONIZETTI THEATRE Named after the great composer in 1897 for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of his birth, the renowned Donizetti Theatre rises on an area where performances were held on a temporary wooden stage that was continuously

existed. The castle underwent various demolitions over a period of time; it was purchased by the Municipality in 1958 and is currently a public garden offering a sweeping view toward the plain and Bergamo Alps.

THE HILLS AND THE PARK Bergamo rises on the last projection of a hill system extending about six kilometres long from east to west.

Buildings of enormous importance, such as the former Astino and Valmarina monasteries, now head office of the Park of the Hills of Bergamo, mingle with old farmhouses converted into delightful residences with parks and vegetable gardens.

A network of over 100 km of trails cover the Park’s terrain, divided into 32 routes marked with signs. The various levels of difficulty of these paths will meet the needs of the most expert hikers as well as tourists and families.

The Park also features cycling and walking paths, such as the Greenway which stretches for about ten kilometres along the Morla stream,

Donizetti Theatre

13

LOWER BERGAMO assembled and disassembled during the old Sant’Alessandro fair. The façade was built to architect Pietro Via’s design and was inaugurated in 1897 beside a romantic monument to Donizetti, surrounded by a pond and small garden.

Info: ph. +39 035 4160611. www.teatrodonizetti.it THE PIACENTINI CENTRE The space around the Sentierone, as well as Matteotti, Vittorio Veneto and Dante Squares, comprises the city centre built to the single design of Marcello Piacentini starting in 1914. Built in the area of the Sant’Alessandro fair, one of Italy’s oldest, the Piacentini Centre encompassed the view of the upper city that can be seen from the propylaea in Porta Nuova.

LORENZO LOTTO IN BERGAMO Many of the great Venetian artist’s works (14801556) can be found in Bergamo, where he passed twelve years of intense activity. In Lower Bergamo, in the church of San Bartolomeo, on the Sentierone, and in Santo Spirito church in the

CITY CENTRE square of the same name, two magnificent altarpieces painted in this period can be admired.

They consist of two large paintings of the same subject: Madonna and Child with Saints (the one in San Bartolomeo is known as the Martinengo altarpiece); another beautiful altarpiece also depicting the Madonna with Child and Saints can be admired in the small San Bernardino church in Via Pignolo. The “Trinity” painting belonging to the church of Sant’Alessandro della Croce can also be found in Via Pignolo at no. 76 in the Bernareggi Diocesan Museum. There is a cycle of frescoes by Lorenzo Lotto in the chapel of the Madonna in the San Michele al Pozzo Bianco church, along with the drawings for the wood inlay work in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Upper Bergamo. Seven works by the artist defined as the “restless genius of the Renaissance” can be found in the permanent collection of the Accademia Carrara.

ADRIANO BERNAREGGI DIOCESAN MUSEUM The museum is named after Mons. Adriano Bernareggi, Bishop of Bergamo who, starting

L. Lotto’s alterpiece – S. Bernardino Church

in the 1930s, began collecting works of art, images of worship and objects for liturgical use. The museum is arranged in an itinerary with chapters and themes, offering the possibility of discovering these extraordinary testimonies that are intimately linked to the history of Bergamo and its Church.

Info: ph. +39 035 248772. www.fondazionebernareggi.it

Porta Nuova

14

GAMeC (MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY) The Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery (GAMeC) is a space for contemporary art in all of its forms with temporary exhibitions supported by educational initiatives and cultural activities. The Manzù Collection is the heart of the museum, composed of sculptures, paintings, drawings and etchings by the great Bergamo artist. The Spajani Collection includes around forty works by the 20th century master, whereas the Stucchi Collection covers Italian and European artists from the 1950s. The collections are completed by works by contem-

GAMeC – Entrance

porary artists such as Alviani, Basilico, Garutti and Cattelan.

Info: ph. +39 035 270272. www.gamec.it ACCADEMIA CARRARA An extraordinary love of culture and art were the driving force behind the origins of the Accademia Carrara on the part of Count Giacomo Carrara who established and financed the institution. With almost 2000 paintings, the collections of sculptures and extensive archives of drawings and prints, the Accademia Carrara is one of Italy’s most important picture galleries. Some of its most renowned artists include Titian, Raphael, Tiepolo, Mantegna, Bellini, Botticelli, Lotto, Canaletto and Guardi and many works bearing witness to the centuries-long relationship with Venice. The Accademia is closed for restoration until 2014, but a selection of works are on exhibition at the Palazzo della Ragione in Upper Bergamo.

Info: ph. +39 035 399677. www.accademiacarrara.bergamo.it 15

USEFUL INFO TOURIST SERVICES

San Vigilio Funicolar

HOW TO REACH BERGAMO

By air: the convenient and well-connected international airport “Il Caravaggio” Bergamo/Orio al Serio is located 5 km from the centre of Bergamo.

By car: take the Bergamo exit on the A4 MilanVenice motorway.

By train: Bergamo is directly connected with Milan, Lecco and Brescia (with connections for Lake Garda, Verona and Venice).

By bus: from Milan Lampugnano, Cadorna and Piazza Castello to the Bergamo bus station.

GETTING AROUND FROM THE AIRPORT – The Airport Bus connection to and from the airport runs daily with departures every 20 minutes; the trip takes about 20 minutes.

Turismo Bergamo info office – Airport Arrivals area – Ph. +39 035 320402

BY CAR - The shopping district (Largo Belotti, Via XX Settembre, Largo Rezzara, Via Sant’Alessandro) is a limited traffic zone while almost all of Upper Bergamo is off limits to traffic. Sundays/public holidays, the Upper City is closed to traffic between 10 am and noon and from 2 pm to 7 pm. With Daylight Saving Time, it is also closed to traffic Friday and Saturday between 9 pm and 1 am. In order to enjoy the city better, 16

Fontanabrolo stairway

we suggest parking in areas close to the exhospital and reaching the Upper City by way of the panoramic stairways.

Local police Via Coghetti 10 - Ph. +39 035 399.559

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT – The ATB runs the urban bus lines and funicular railway connecting the Lower and Upper City and the Upper City and San Vigilio. Bus lines no. 1 and 1A go to the Upper City and the funicular railway can also be used. Passing through a tunnel cut through the Venetian walls, the visitor arrives in Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe in just minutes. Those who wish to go up to San Vigilio hill may take the panoramic funicular railway leaving from Sant’Alessandro Gate (just outside of Colle Aperto).

ATB Point – Largo Porta Nuova - Ph. +39 035 236026 www.atb.bergamo.it BERGAMO BY BIKE Bergamo and its province offer itineraries of exceptional beauty.

Eco Rent: scooter, microcar and electric car hire. Piazzale Marconi, 4 (c/o Urban Center). Ph. +39 035 5293888 – www.eco-rent.it Ciclostazione 42 (bike station 42) (piazzale Marconi - Bergamo station) – Ciclostazione dei colli (Colli bike station) (via Valbona, Ponteranica, Bg) – Bike hire “Prenditempo” Ph. +39 340 0982887 www.pedalopolis.org TAXI – Radio Taxi: Tel. +39 035 4519090.

INFORMATION OFFICE (I.A.T.) Lower Bergamo V.le Papa Giovanni XXIII, 57 – Urban Center Ph. +39 035 210204 turismo1@comune.bg.it www.comune.bergamo.it INFORMATION OFFICE (I.A.T.) Upper Bergamo Via Gombito, 13 (Gombito Tower) Ph. +39 035 242226 turismo@comune.bg.it www.comune.bergamo.it TURISMO BERGAMO INFO OFFICE Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport – arrivals area Ph. +39 035 320402 orio@turismo.bergamo.it www.turismo.bergamo.it Left Luggage Airport / Autostradale at Arrivals Area Tel. +39 035 318472. www.orioaeroporto.it Left Luggage Bergamo / Eco Rent at Urban Center Tel. +39 035 5293888 www.depositobagagli.it

Greenway

“Città di Bergamo” Tourist guides group Ph. +39 035 344205 www.bergamoguide.it AGIAT tourist guides Ph. +39 035 262565 www.agiatguidebergamo.it “Bergamo Su & Giù” tourist guides Ph. +39 035 234182 www.visitbergamo.info Guides not registered with associations www.turismo.bergamo.it

USEFUL NUMBERS Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital Piazza OMS - Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità, 1 Ph: +39 035.267111 www.hpg23.it Doctor on call – Bergamo Via Croce Rossa, 2 - Ph. +39 035 4555111 SOS: Universal emergency number 112

Piazza Vecchia

CREDITS Texts: Comune di Bergamo, Pino Capellini, Turismo Bergamo. Translations: Geakoinè Pictures: Antonella Macis, Archivio Comune di Bergamo, Archivio Turismo Bergamo, Dimitri Salvi, Elina Ilgaza, GAMeC – Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Bergamo, Gianfranco Rota, Lapi, Marco Mazzoleni, Paolo Ardiani.

17

Bergamo Card

Save up to 40% INCLUDED Airport Bus, upper town Funicolar railway, San Vigilio Funicolar railway and all the public transport you need.

FREE ENTRANCE • muSeum And the treASure • ACCAdemIA CArrArA oF the CAthedrAl • GAmeC (MODERN AND • “e. CAFFI” CIVIC muSeum CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY) oF nAturAl SCIenCe • AdrIAno BernAreGGI • CIVIC muSeum oF dIoCeSAn muSeum ArChAeoloGY • CIVIC toWer (CAMPANONE) • donIzettI muSeum • pAlAzzo del podeStà/hIStorICAl • GAetAno donIzettI muSeum oF the VenetIAn AGe BIrthplACe the InterACtIVe 1500S • the FortreSS /hIStorICAl muSeum, • pAlAzzo dellA rAGIone “mAuro GelFI” 19th CenturY SeCtIon • GomBIto toWer • the Former ConVent oF • “lorenzo rotA” SAn FrAnCeSCo/ hIStorICAl muSeum, BotAnICAl GArden exhIBItIonS SeCtIon

ExCELLENT DISCOUNTS in all affiliated places

A single Bergamo h travel card 24 for visiting www.bergamocard.it Bergamo.

Card

Azienda Trasporti

Bergamo

Info and dealers

Museo Bernareggi

Personale e non cedibile • Personal and not trans ferable DATA/DATE FIRMA/SIGNATURE

Piazza Vecchia, Berg amo - Paolo Ardiani per Turismo Berga Piazza Vecchia, Berg amo - Paolo Ardiani for Turismo Bergam

Bergamo

24 Valid for 1 adult and 1 child up to the age of 11

h

Card

24h 10€ 48h 15€

videocomp.it

Printed in June 2013

We protect the environment by using FSC速-certified paper