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Lower Town (Città Bassa) is the more modern part of the Italian city of Bergamo. It’s not as interesting as Upper Town (Città Alta) but it still has some good attractions, especially for art lovers.
My Visit
Because of time constraints and Marisol not feeling very well, I was only able to take a short walk through Lower Town. I have to say my exploration is incomplete. Another problem is that I didn’t take my camera with me and my phone died unexpectedly just 15 minutes after I ventured into the streets, so I don’t have as many photos to share as I’d like.
Christmas in Bergamo
I started by leaving my hotel and walking south through Piazza della Libertà and Piazza Dante Alighieri. Since it was winter and Christmas Eve was just a day away, there was an ice skating rink at Piazza della Libertà and a great Christmas market at Piazza Dante Alighieri.
Gaetano Donizetti Theatre
I continued another block south and came to the Gaetano Donizetti Theatre (Teatro Gaetano Donizetti). Originally built in the 1780s, it burned down in 1797 and was rebuilt and opened in 1800. The first name of the theatre was Riccardi Theatre (Teatro Riccardi), but it was changed in 1897 to honor Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848), a local composer, on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Interactive audio-guided tours of the theatre are available for €10 or €12 with live performers (as of July 2024) and last 40 minutes. Otherwise, a normal audio-guided tour is €6 and a simple tour using QR codes is €4 (as of July 2024). There are also tour options including the Sociale Theatre and Donizetti’s birthplace.
Tower of the Fallen
Across Viale Roma from the theatre is the Tower of the Fallen (Torre dei Caduti), also known as Memorial Tower. The tower is dedicated to the fallen Italians of World War I and was inaugurated by Benito Mussolini on October 27, 1924. It stands 45 meters tall and was designed by Marcello Piacentini. Inside, there’s a history of the modern city center. It’s open Saturdays and Sundays and costs €5 to visit (as of July 2024).
Via Torquato Tasso
From the theatre, I walked down Via Torquato Tasso past several shops and some restaurants. When I came to the Church of Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano (Chiesa dei Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano), my phone died and I wasn’t able to take any more photos. The church was built between 1613 and 1642. I continued along the road to visit the Church of the Holy Spirit (Chiesa di Santo Spirito), which was built between 1530 and 1740, before turning around and heading back to the hotel.
Next Time
On a future visit to Bergamo, I plan to start from scratch in Lower Town. I’ll visit the same places as well as the Carrara Academy (Accademia Carrara), which is one of Italy’s finest art galleries. Adult admission is €15 or €10 to see the permanent collection only (as of July 2024). It’s open daily with reduced hours on Tuesdays.
