Porta San Giacomo represented in the past the entrance to Città Alta for those arriving from Milan.
It is the only access to the Walls that is perfectly visible from Viale Vittorio Emanuele, the axis that crosses Lower Bergamo from south to north, both because of its location and its color.
The white marble with which it is built, quarried from the Zandobbio quarries in nearby Val Cavallina, makes it stand out from the gray stone of the defensive walls.
Because of these characteristics, in addition to being one of the most photographed places in Bergamo, it makes a perfect backdrop against which to project colored lights during special events (for example, the tricolor of the Italian flag during celebrations related to national anniversaries).
Leaning on the balustrade you will enjoy, on the one hand, a beautiful view of the Venetian fortifications and, on the other, a splendid panorama of the Lower City and the plain all the way to the Apennines!
This Gate consists of a triangular pediment supported by half-columns in the classical style; as with the other entrances to the city, this one is dominated by the carved Lion of St. Mark, the symbol of Venetian rule.
The appearance of Porta San Giacomo was not always what you see today: the old wooden drawbridge, which closed the access in case of danger, was torn down in the late 18th century by order of the Venetian governor Alvise Contarini.
In its place was built the masonry road that can still be traveled today.
The beauty of Porta San Giacomo derives from the romantic access viaduct but also from the luster of the marble with which it was made: this mineral has been mined since ancient times in Zandobbio, in the province of Bergamo.
The people of Bergamo also used it in the construction of other important city buildings such as Palazzo Nuovo (now home to the Angelo Mai Library) and the Contarini Fountain in Piazza Vecchia.
Curiosity:
Like the other gates of the Walls, at 10 p.m. each night St. James Gate was closed to ensure the safety of the city.