WHAT YOU’LL DO
– A comprehensive tour of the countless works in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the most beloved and important church for the people of Bergamo
WHAT AWAITS YOU
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in the historic heart of Upper Town, is par excellence the church of the people of Bergamo: wanted by the people and built with their offerings.
Built in the second half of the 12th century, the exterior retains the original Romanesque-Lombard architectural lines, but inside it will leave you speechless with its Baroque decorations and all the works of art it holds, including the wooden inlays designed by the 16th-century Venetian painter Lorenzo Lotto.
At the end of the painstaking restoration of Lorenzo Lotto’s and Capoferri’s chancel that lasted more than a year and restored beauty and color to the extraordinary 16th-century work, here is a guided tour to discover this mysterious work and the Basilica’s many other secrets.
You’ll visit medieval frescoes, countless artifacts including grandiose tapestries, the rich confessional by Bergamo sculptor Andrea Fantoni, and the funeral monument of composer Gaetano Donizetti.
The tour, lasting about an hour and a half, is possible during the opening hours of the basilica, except Sunday mornings, and can be booked up to two days before the requested date.
NB: If the visit coincides with the opening hours of the Museo del Tesoro located in the women’s gallery, the tour will also include this.