• Art & Culture
    • Active & Green

The historic houses of Bergamo

Gardens, art, culture and beauty: the historic homes of the noble families of Bergamo are well worth a visit.

The city of Bergamo has been home to numerous influential and wealthy families throughout history.

Starting in the Middle Ages, these nobles chose to flaunt their power by building impressive residences. The most important wealthy families lived in towers that dominated the city skyline: striking symbols of prestige and superiority, they were also used as fortifications in the civil strife that broke out during the commune movement. 

When they were no longer needed for protection, the towers were abandoned and almost entirely demolished: the few surviving structures still have a powerful presence in the medieval part of the city. Having left their fortified homes behind, the noble families decided to invest their fortunes in monumental palaces. 

Today, we will discover the true beauty of these historic houses. The journey will take us through the city's main streets and further afield, enjoying panoramic views over the historic boroughs and vast gardens. 

Elegant furniture, beautifully decorated halls, sumptuous palaces: on this tour, you can experience a taste of the elite lifestyle, exploring the rooms where the families of Bergamo curated their reputations.

On the same topic

The Winter Songs

The legend of the coldest days in the year
  • Art & Culture

Tempio dell’Incoronata

A visit to the Tempio dell’Incoronata and the Museo del Tesoro
Tempio dell’Incoronata
  • Art & Culture

Come to discover Cremona!

A new guide for children and families
  • Art & Culture

Monuments Monza

There are so many beauties to discover in the city that holds treasures not only in its Cathedral.
Monuments in Monza, culture in Lombardy
  • Art & Culture

Monuments Bergamo

Bergamo and its province offer monuments of rare beauty. Discover the main monuments to visit
Monuments Bergamo, choose what to see in Lombardy
  • Art & Culture

Brescia, a Theatre City

From the Teatro Grande to the Brescia Opera Festival, to the Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone. Discover a stage city
Teatro Grande in Brescia
  • Art & Culture

Palazzo d'Arco in Mantua

Everyday life of a noble family in the 18th and 19th Century
Palazzo d'Arco in Mantua - ph: Federica Bottoli
  • Art & Culture

Urban sculptures and works of art: Lombardy's open-air museum

Lesser known statues, monuments, and works of art, concealed within the streets and piazzas of Lombardy's cities: a prestigious artistic heritage is waiting to be discovered 
Opere e sculture urbane: il museo a cielo aperto della Lombardia
  • Art & Culture

Milan and its bridges

  • Art & Culture

Literary suggestions in Lombardy

Wandering around the region, among places, cities and events that have inspired great authors
Literary suggestions in Lombardy
  • Art & Culture

Contemporary Varese

Una guida alle architetture e nuovi spazi dedicati all'arte contemporanea: i percorsi del contemporaneo tra Varese, Laveno, Maccagno.
  • Art & Culture

The mantuan locations in Rigoletto

Between reality and fantasy, a musical itinerary retraces the locations of Verdi's opera set in Mantua in the sixteenth century
The mantuan locations in Rigoletto
  • Art & Culture

Museums Como

Great museum offer in Como. From the first communities on the territory to the thematic museums
Museums Como, ideas for visiting
  • Art & Culture

6 Interactive museums for children

Explore Lombardy with your children! Experiential and interactive museums to stimulate curiosity and creativity.
Musei interattivi bambini
  • Art & Culture

Monuments in Lombardy

Cultural tourism and monuments in Lombardy
Monuments in Lombardy, suggestions
  • Art & Culture

Bergamo Upper City

Medieval atmosphere on the top of a hill
Bergamo Upper Town
  • Art & Culture

Monuments Pavia

Ancient squares, historic houses, statues, religious buildings, museums ... in Pavia and its province
Monument Pavia, what to see
  • Art & Culture

Soncino - the water system

Special guided tours for those who are keen to learn
  • Art & Culture

Monument Sondrio

Historical, artistic, traditional Sondrio in its many monuments ... and a railway station from which a special train departs
Monument Sondrio, what to see
  • Art & Culture

Bergamo in a weekend

A perfect square, the masterpieces of the Carrara Academy, the Venetian Walls Unesco World Heritage Site. Discover Bergamo!
Bergamo
  • Art & Culture