THE PANORAMIC POINTS IN BERGAMO

Beyond the propylaea in Porta Nuova, in the heart of the lower city, stands the monument dedicated to the memory of those who died during the Great War.

Bergamo wouldn’t be the same without its impressive Venetian Walls. This spectacular circuit is over six km long: it’s the perfect place to take a romantic walk and enjoy wonderful sunsets, and it has been enclosing the beauties of the Upper Town for more than four centuries.

The priceless artistic and cultural value of the Venetian Walls is demonstrated by their recognition as a Unesco World Heritage site.

They were built starting from 1561 by the Republic of Venice in order to face enemies attacks, but History was kind with them: maybe due to their stunning beauty, they never underwent any siege. That is why they remained almost intact to the present day.

The Walls consist of 14 bastions, 2 platforms, 100 embrasures for cannons, 2 armouries, four gates, not to mention the underground structures featuring sallies, passages and tunnels: don’t miss the chance to walk inside the Walls and to visit the casemates of San Michele and San Giovanni!

The Lower Funicular has been connecting the centre of Bergamo with the Upper Town (“Città Alta”) for more than 120 years, more precisely with Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, where many business activities used to be carried out. The square (whose name means “shoes market square”) was used as a shoes market since 1430, while the building overlooking the square used to be the headquarter of the shoemakers’ guild and it currently hosts the funicular station.
The city’s funicular is really loved by Bergamo’s citizens, that couldn’t do without it: is there another means of transport allowing you to travel across time, passing through the ancient Venetian walls that used to defend Bergamo from the enemies’ attacks?
Two lovely orange coaches go up and down the hill, surrounded by beautiful gardens and amazing landscapes: when the sky is cloudless you can enjoy a breath-taking view on the Po plain and even catch sight of the Apennines!

San Giacomo Gate (“Porta San Giacomo”) used to be the entrance to Bergamo for those who came from Milan. It’s the only access to the Walls that can be perfectly seen from Viale Vittorio Emanuele, the axis crossing Lower Bergamo from South to North, both for its position and for its colour. In fact, it is made of white marble extracted from Zandobbio’s quarries, in the near Cavallina Valley: this material makes the gate stand out against the grey defensive walls. Due to these characteristics, besides being one of the most photographed places of Bergamo, it is also an ideal background on which projecting coloured lights during particular events (for instance, the colours of the Italian flag during national celebrations. Lean on the balustrade and enjoy, on one side, a stunning view of the Venetian fortification, and a fantastic panorama of the Lower Town and the Plain up to the Apennines on the other one!

From the funicular in the Upper Town, go up Sant'Eufemia hill to reach the Rocca complex, one of the Bergamasco people’s favourite places. 

The short walk is well rewarded by the exceptional 360° panoramic view that you enjoy from the tower: in front of your eyes, in addition to the wonders of the Upper Town, you can see the Orobie Prealps and the entire plain, reaching as far as Milan’s skyline.

That’s an odd name, indeed! Do you know its origin? “Gombito” is the Italian evolution of the Latin word “compitum”.

However, there are several interpretations about the meaning of “compitum”. Some say it means “crossroad”, as the tower rises in the meeting point between the two main axis of the Roman town, the “decumanus” and the “cardo” (today’s via Gombito and via Lupo). Another argument claims that “compitum” means computare”, “counting”: in fact, the old numbering system of the streets started from here.

The imposing Gombito Tower was built in 1200 as a symbol of power and military hegemony during the struggles between the different city factions: it used to control the access to Piazza Vecchia, the core of Bergamo, from the roads coming from the valleys. Bergamo Administration owns it and opens it to the public in spring and summer: from its top you can enjoy a fantastic view of the surrounding territory! 

In the heart of Piazza Vecchia stands the Civic Tower, otherwise known as the Campanone, which with its height of 52.76 metres, offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the old town.

If you have already taken the first funicular and reached Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe in the Upper Town, don’t stop your climb: go and try out the second one, to visit the San Vigilio hill!

This system leads you to a less-popular part of the city, worthy of being visited as it’s surrounded by nature and represents the perfect starting point for a walk across the wonderful “Parco dei Colli –Hills Park”, a protected green area of 4,700 hectares. It was inaugurated on August 27th 1912 and designed by Alessandro Ferretti, one of the best Italian engineers of that time, who planned tens of funicular railways and realized about 15 of them.

San Vigilio funicular covers 630 meters, with a 90 m difference in height and a slope going from 10% to 22%, which lets you enjoy a stunning view of the hills and the plain.

Representing a clearly visible symbol of power, San Vigilio Castle has been the residence of Bergamo’s numerous rulers for centuries. It is located 496 meters above the sea level, on top of the hill that gives it its name, overlooking the Città Alta: that’s why it used to have a strategic role in case of attacks. From its top, you can see the Mount Bastia nearby and the villages of the old Breno valley (called Valbrembo and Paladina today), along with the Almenno plain, also known as Lemine, once renowned for being an important trade centre, and the hamlets located all along the street leading to the Brembana valley. This spectacular and vast landscape also embraces a significant part of the pre-Alps. The circle plan of the building resembles a star, featuring the four towers called Castagneta, Belvedere, Del Ponte and San Vigilio. Its basements are very tortuous: a tunnel (accessible in part) was also found, connecting the Castle directly to the northern side of the hills fortification, inside the San Marco Fortress.