With its red and white marble and Italian Renaissance façade, the Colleoni Chapel is one of Bergamo’s most stunning structures. Its interior is packed with sublime works of art and religious relics that reveal its intriguing history. Snap photos of the mesmerizing structure from the spacious and majestic Piazza Duomo.
Admire the checked pattern on the marble façade of the church and inspect the intricate rose window, which is bordered by medallions depicting Julius Caesar and Trajan. Marvel at the pillars, elegant windows, spires and turrets of this magnificent structure, considered one of the most majestic Renaissance buildings in the region of Lombardy.
The chapel was built between 1472 and 1476, following the plans of Giovanni Antonio Amadeo. It was designed to complement the adjacent Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Go for a pleasant walk in the evening and see the church lit up majestically. Legends say that touching the coat of arms on the main gate at midnight brings good fortune. The chapel takes its name from Bartolomeo Colleoni, a famous Italian mercenary captain born in Bergamo. He left to fight around the country before returning to this town, where he died.
It is said Colleoni had the church built as an ideal place for his tomb. Inspect the stately tomb and its reliefs of Episodes from the Life of Christ. See the statues of the saints John, Mark and Bartholomew by artist Pietro Lombardo. Gaze up at the stunning frescoes decorating the dome.
The chapel is open for visits Tuesday through Sunday from morning until late afternoon, with a closure at noon. Enter the site for free.
Find the Colleoni Chapel in the western part of Bergamo’s quaint Citta Alta (Upper Town) district. Ride the funicular to its highest point and walk west for 5 minutes to get here. Make sure to go to other sights in the area, including the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Torre di Gombito and the Old City Tower of Bergamo.