Ride the quick funicular back in time to this hilltop plateau of medieval and Renaissance churches, palaces and towers that seem to compete to be the tallest.
The Bergamo Citta Alta holds the city’s historic center within Venetian walls. It is comprised of cobbled alleys that lap around preserved religious and political structures. Get a sense of Bergamo’s history with a trip through the gorgeous museums and churches of this hilltop Upper Town.
Snap photos of the historic buildings from the lower part of the city. Ride the funicular to the station at the summit and traverse the sloped pedestrian passages. The center stage is the Piazza Vecchia, a square enclosed by a harmonious layout of pristine Renaissance architecture.
Spend time in Piazza Vecchio to visit its many attractions. Palazzo del Podestà on the western side of the square has a museum concerning the Venetian impact on Bergamo. Admire the 12th-century Ragione Palace and the Contarini Fountain in the piazza’s center. Climb the square’s tower for excellent views and browse the 16th-century books and manuscripts in the Angelo Mai Library of the Palazzo Nuovo.
The district is known as the City of One Hundred Towers, in reference to the Middle Ages, when aristocratic families showed their wealth by constructing towers. The highlight is the Torre del Campanone, which rises above the Piazza Vecchia and the Piazza Duomo to a height of 171 feet (52 meters). Hear the tower’s 10 p.m. bell used to signal curfew and the closing of the city gates.
Get a sense of the city’s religious history with a visit to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. The 12th-century church, known for its Lombard Romanesque façade with no front entrance, was built to ward off a plague. Learn about one of the city’s most gifted musicians at the Donizetti Museum.
Reach the Upper Town district via Bergamo’s funicular, which only takes a few minutes to rise 279 feet (85 meters) to the top of the hill. Enjoy the funicular’s excellent views of the region and pass through the 16th-century Venetian walls into the Old Town.
The Bergamo Citta Alta is a towering location with historic treasures.
