MONUMENTS OF BERGAMO
Piazza Vecchia
"Piazza Vecchia" is the symbol of the city. It was formed in 1440-93 after the demolition of the pre-existent houses and shops. In the centre there is a fountain donated by the podestà Alvise II
Contarini in 1780; on the southern side, the square dominates the
Palazzo della Ragione, symbol of the communal age. On the right there are the New Palace (planned in 1593 by
Andrea Vannone); the civic tower (XII-XV), famous also with the name
"Campanone" and the ancient Domus Suardorum (XIV-XV), that currently is the centre of the Bergamo University. The northern side of the square accommodates the Biblioteca Civica "Angelo Mai ", a palace with a marble white front with approximately 500000 volumes and keeps a precious Tassiana Collection.
Duomo
The
"Duomo" began to be constructed in 1459 on design of the
Filarete and had long and complicated events: modified in 1688 by
Carlo Fontana, it was finished in 1886, after the modification of the dome and the completion of the front in marble white. The Latin cross plant has one nave and the interior was decorated by
Francisco Domenighini under the direction of
Elia Fornoni.
Santa maria maggiore
The Basilica began to be built probably in 1157 on the site of one more ancient, going back to the VIII century. The first finished part was the eastern one; then, because of the lack of money the works were interrupted and when they were taken again, in the XIII century, materials of minor esteem were used and therefore the western zone was completed. In the XIV century the completion jobs that were undertaken regarded the elevation of the bell tower, the demolition of old sacristy and the construction of the new one. The last touch was given by Peter
Isabello in 1521 with the so-called "Door of the Fortune". The two
“protiri” (arches supported by two columns, that adorn the door of the basilica) of
Giovanni from
Campione are worthy of importance, above all that one near the front of the
Cappella Colleoni, that is constituted by an arc supported by two lions, lightened by tunnels (carvings executed on the marble) with animals drawings.
Cappella Colleoni
The
"Cappella Colleoni", constructed in 1472 -1476 and dedicated to Saint
Giovanni Batiste, rises in the heart of the medieval village for will of the native of
Bergamo Bartolomeo Colleoni who ordered the demolition of ancient sacristy of the basilica of
Santa Maria Maggiore in order to erect his own funeral chapel. The realization of the building was entrusted to the sculptor-architect
Giovanni Antonio Amadeo (1447 - 1522). The Chapel has plant composed by a square room for the grave and by a smaller environment with the altar. The front is composed by decorations and intarsias polychrome in marble and it is enriched by medallions, small columns, pilaster sculpted, busts, figures and, in the base, tiles (panels of varied shapes, often decorated, used as ornaments) with scenes of Old Testament and history of
Ercole
Accademia carrara
The "Accademia", that was founded in 1796 by the count Giacomo Carrara, is one of the most prestigious Italian art galleries. It is articulated in three units: Ancient Art Gallery, Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery, Carrara Academy of fine arts. Its patrimony includes more than 1900 paintings drawn by famous artists like Lotto, Mantegna, Pisanello, Raffaello, Bellini,Tiziano, Donatello, Canaletto, Guardi and Canova. Besides there is an important representation of painters abroad like Rubens, Clouet, Dürer and Brueghel. The abundant presence of artists natives of Bergamo and of Venice like Palm the Old , Previtali, Moretto, Cariani and Tiziano is important: these artists were in relation with Lotto or however get from him the inclination to the naturalism, constant presence of the Lombard culture.
Palazzo della ragione
The "Palazzo della Ragione" was built around the half of the XII century: the date of the construction is given to us by the Romanesque sculptures that decorate some capitals of the pillars. It went through important transformations in the XV and XVI centuries, they inverted also its orientation: originally the front faced the public square of the Dome. After a fire in 1520, the architect Peter Isabello made the ground loggia with vaults and the big superior hall build , the hall has a central big window in Venetian taste, it is surmounted by Saint Mark’s lion. In the first floor seven wooden trusses are realized in order to support the cover. Probably the big central window goes back to the same period, while the balcony has been added in 1554. The solar clock, visible in the porch floor, was realized in 1798. The superior hall is covered by two pitches roof . Fourteenth-century and fifteenth-century frescoes are conserved in its interior: among these we remember the three "Philosophers" , painted by the Bramante in 1477, on the front of the Palace of the Podestà.
Battistero
The "Battistero" was initially constructed for the inside of the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in 1340 by Giovanni from Campione; in the 1800's, after several events, it was reconstructed in the place in which it is currently. The Baptistery of Bergamo is a small building with an octagonal plant, surrounded by an wrought iron railing, encircled by a gallery of small columns in red marble of Verona. The interior keeps the octagonal christening font and the statues of Saint Giovanni Baptist and Giovanni from Campione; all the sides of the octagon are enriched with bas-relieves with history of the life of Christ.
Biblioteca civica
The "Biblioteca Civica Angelo Mai", initially of property of the cardinal Giuseppe Alexander Furietti, was left by him in inheritance to the city of Bergamo and was opened to the public in 1768. Then it was always administered by the municipality of Bergamo, that is the owner of it, and today it is one of richest and popular Italian historical libraries. Equipped for historical, literary, musical and artistic search, the Library conserves books and archives of varied nature and origin.
