As much as we would have liked to have visited the Borromean Islands of Lake Maggiore, with their wedding-cake-layered towns, historic Napolean-slept-here palaces and manicured gardens, it was a relief to spend a lot less time in the car and still see the extraordinary walled city of Bergamo.
Bergamo’s upper city (La Città Alta) is the walled fortress city of ancient times and one needs to ride a funicular to access its many treasures. Chief among those are the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore and the Colleoni Chapel that is attached to it. Here we found some of the most amazing craftsmanship that as good as any we had seen in the bigger Italian cities. There was also an impressive piazza and the Campanone Tower, from which we had incomparable views of both upper and lower cities. As always, there were plenty of food choices as well.
We made our way back to our lodging, had another wonderful meal and prepared for our next day’s trip to Chamonix, France, for a week in the Alps. (See “THE ALPS: Stage 2 of the European Trip“
BERGAMO PHOTO GALLERY
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To get to the upper city of Bergamo, one needs to ride a funicular. The station is pictured here.
The funicular arriving at the upper station
Passengers getting on the funicular to go to the upper city
The foreground building houses an ancient cistern, Il Fantanone, built in 1342 and holds 22,000 hectoliters of water.
The Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, founded in 1137, finished 3 centuries later.
The entrance to the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.
Jani,at the entrance of the basilica, held up by lions made of Red Verona Marble
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Incredible craftsmanship displayed throughout the basilica
Cappella Colleoni is a chapel and mausoleum attached to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, built between 1472 and 1476
The interior of the Cappella Colleoni
More beautiful craftsmanship
A side chapel
Interior of the side chapel
Basement level chamber
Entrance to the Town Hall of Bergamo
Palazzo della Ragione, oncethe town hall of Bergamo
Logo on Bergamo trash can
Interseting gate design, attached to the Archaeology Museum
Entrance to a children’s garden
The Clock Tower in Piazza della Cittadella
The Civic Archaeological Museum in Piazza Cittadella
The corner of Piazza Cittadella
The Piazza Vecchia in the upper city of Bergamo
Fontana Contarini and the Biblioteca Civica in Piazza Vecchia of Bergamo’s upper city.
We went up Campanone Tower for a better view of the upper city
Final steps up to the top of the tower
Campanone Tower
Towers of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
The Cappella Colleoni (front), attached to the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore)
Tower view of the Palazzo della Ragione and Piazza Vecchia
Piazza Duomo, home of the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore and the Cappella Colleoni
Rooftop view from the tower.
Walking to the botanical garden, we spotted some of the wall of the upper city
“Skyline” of the upper city
En route to the botanical garden
This view on the way to the botanical garden reminded us of an old Italian painting
Near the botanical garden, an old armoury housed the work of a local artict
Steps in the Botanical Garden of Bergamo
A “halo” hovering over one of the streets in the upper city
BERGAMO VIDEO GALLERY
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Taking the finicula from the upper city of Bergamo
