10 THINGS TO SEE IN BERGAMO
Do you need to pull the plug on the usual hectic life? You are in the right city!! Bergamo, also called “Città dei Mille”, is built on two levels: Upper Bergamo, called “Upper Town” which is the ancient part of the city and can be easily reached by public transport, by funicular or even by foot, and Lower Bergamo the modern part of the city, here there are the business activities. To avoid finding you unprepared, we have complied the list of 10 things to see in Bergamo:
1. VENETIAN WALLS
This walls have been recently included in the Unesco heritage, surround for 5km Upper Town and were built in the fiveteenth century by the city of Venice for the purpose of defending the city from enemies; and its offer a view not only on the skyline of the city but also on Milan.
2. OLD SQUARE
It’s the heart of the Upper Town, it is extremely representative and constituted the nucleus of the rich city, on the place you will find enchanting masterpieces such as “Campanone”, palazzo della Ragione, Palazzo del Podestà, Contarini fountain and civic library Angelo Mai.
3. BASILICA OF SAINT MARY MAJOR
Built in the 1137, is characterized by the lack of a door entrance on the central facade; presents its exterior with some gothic peculiarities like the gate with the red lions, and capture the visitors inside thanks to the tapestries of the XVI century, tarsias designed by Lorenzo Lotto and Baroque confessional desidegned by Andrea Fantoni. In the church also the monument to the composer Gaetano Donizzetti.
4. DOME OF BERGAMO
Also known Cathedral of St. Alexander, there are paintings made by local painter , tapestries and the chapel of the crucifix (ticket:free)
5. COLLEONI CHAPEL
Is dedicated to the captain Bartolomeo Colleoni. the Renaissance chapel is recognizable by the design and facade in red and white marble. Inside Medea’s tomb, work of Amadeo. Medea, Colleoni’s favourite daughters, died in 1470 in Malpaga, at the age of 15.
6. CARRARA ACADEMY
It collects 1793 paintings of Venetian, Lombard and Tuscan school from the Renaissance at the end of 1800; among them paintings of: Gozzoli, Crivelli, Tura, Mantegna, Pinturicchio, Ghirlandaio, Bellini, Raffaello, Titian, Lotto, Rubens, Tiepolo, Canaletto,Hayez. Among the different works of art you can find the Virgin and Child of the Mantegna and that of Titian, San Sebastiano di Raffaello, The memory of a pain of Pellizza da Volpedo. (ticket: whole €12, reduced €10)
7. GAMEC
Galleria D’Arte Moderna, located in front of the Accademia Carrara, houses a collection of modern and contemporary art by artists such as: Savinio, Morandi, Boccioni, Balla, Casorati, De Chirico, Kandinsky and many others. (ticket: €4)
8. STREET XX SEPTEMBER
In the lower part of Bergamo, is famous for shopping and bars where we can have happy hour.
9. THEATRE DONIZZETTI
One of the first theatre in Italy made by marble, is dedicated, together with the park in the nearby, to the great composer Gaetano Donizzetti. In front of this monument there is the famous “Sentierone”, the Bergamask “boulevard”.
10. LOTTO
You can visit the works of Lorenzo Lotto at Santa Maria Maggiore and San Michele in the Upper Town, San Sebastiano, San Bartolomeo and San Bernardino in the lower town.
Where to sleep?
HOTEL SAN ROCCO, situated in Scanzorosciate, from here you can easily reach each of these places.
