Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This 12th-century palace at the southern end of the piazza displays the lion of St Mark as
a reminder of Venice's long reign here. It's an early-20th-century replica of the 15th-cen-
tury original, which was torn down when Napoleon took over in 1797. Note the sun clock
in the pavement beneath the arches and the curious Romanesque and Gothic animals and
busts decorating the pillars of the arches. At the time of writing the palazzo was acting as
a temporary exhibition space for artworks from the Carrara collection.
Torre del Campanone
TOWER
(adult/child €3/free; 9.30am-6pm Tue-Fri, 9.30am-8pm Sat & Sun Apr-Oct, 9.30am-1pm & 2.30-6pm
Tue-Fri, 9.30am-6pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar)
The square-based Torre del Campanone in Piazza
Vecchio tolls the old 10pm curfew. Originally raised in the 12th century and partly used as
a jail in the 14th century, it has undergone numerous alterations. Take the wheelchair-ac-
cessible lift to the top for splendid views.
Duomo
( 035 21 02 23; Piazza del Duomo; 7.30-11.45am & 3-6.30pm)
Located in Piazza del Duomo
- the core of Bergamo's spiritual life. Roman remains were discovered during renovations
of the modest and mostly baroque
duomo
. A rather squat maroon cathedral, it has a brilli-
ant white facade.
CATHEDRAL
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
BASILICA
(Piazza del Duomo; 9am-12.30pm & 2.30-6pm Apr-Oct, shorter hourrs Nov-Mar)
An intriguing
Romanesque basilica next door to the
duomo
. Gothic additions were grafted onto its whirl
of Romanesque apses, which begun in 1137. Influences come from afar, with the dual-col-
our banding (black and white, and rose and white) typical of Tuscany and an interesting
trompe l'œil pattern on part of the facade.
What stands out, however, is the Renaissance chapel of Bartolomeo Colleoni (c
Mar-Oct, 9am-12.30pm & 2-4.30pm Tue-Sun Nov-Feb)
, which was ostentatiously added to the
side fronting the square between 1472 and 1476. Built as a mausoleum for the Ber-
gamasche mercenary commander, who led Venice's armies in campaigns across northern
