Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
B2
Eating
C3
15
Il Fornaio
C2
B2
17
Polentone
C3
Sights
The Città Alta is a tangle of medieval streets, protected by 5km of Venetian walls. The
Upper Town's beating heart is the cafe-clad Piazza Vecchia (Old Square), lined by elegant
architecture that is a testament to Bergamo's long and colourful history. The Renaissance
square was created by bulldozing the huddle of medieval housing that once stood there,
creating what Le Corbusier called 'the most beautiful square in Europe'.
A funicular carries you from the western edge of the Upper Town up to the quaint
quarter of San Vigilio, which offers some stunning views. On the plain below sprawls the
modern Città Bassa
,
where you'll find the better dining options.
Palazzo Nuovo
HISTORIC BUILDING
The white, porticoed Palazzo Nuovo defines the northern side of Piazza Vecchio.
Designed in 1611 by a brilliant architectural mind from Vicenza, Vincenzo Scamozzi
(1548-1616), it was not completed until 1928. Long the seat of the town hall, it has been
the Angelo Mai library since 1873 and is the repository of Giovannino de'Grassi's rare,
Gothic Sketch Book.
Palazzo del Podestà
On the northwest side of Piazza Vecchio is the Palazzo del Podestà, the long home to
Venice's representative in Bergamo.
HISTORIC BUILDING
Palazzo della Ragione
HISTORIC BUILDING
