Historic accounts on Bergamo

SEARCH HOTELS BERGAMO

In collaboration with Booking.com

Useful info:

some Useful info for Visiting Bergamo

Click here »

News

Customer Care

Historic accounts on Bergamo

The history

Tradition has it that the first human settlement established here was that of the Orobi, literally meaning “people of the mountains”, belonging to the group of the Gallic tribe called Cenomani, who settled down in these lands after chasing the Etruscans away. However, some more up-to-date studies indicate that the very first settlements in the area correspond to the ligurian populations of Insubria. With the coming of the Romans, Bergamo reinforced its military role, obtaining the Roman citizenship in year 42 b.c., and the foundation of the municipium. Unfortunately, very few has remained of the Roman city, so it is very difficult to reconstruct its extension and aspect, but it must have certainly left an enduring heritage in terms of urban asset, which remarkably affected the successive phases of the city development.
Following the fall of the Roman empire, Bergamo passed in 568 under the Lungbards, becoming the seat of one of the most important duchy of the Reign. With the defeat of the Lungbards in 774, Bergamo turned into a Frank county.
In this period, the city is subject to a strong immigration flow (especially Frank and Germanic populations), and to deep changes inside the ruling class. Now the majority of the bishops and Counts, in fact, comes from Frank families. In the 10th century the city is ruled by the bishop and the representatives of the most prestigious aristocratic families of the Bergamo. The municipality of Bergamo sees the light in this period, with a series of urban interventions that gave Bergamo that incontrovertible touch of medieval town, which was maintained up to present, and which makes Bergamo famous all over the world. Just outside the city, the Beggars, Dominican and Franciscan orders were founded, new churches were built, squares were created and the local community became organized in arts guilds and trade corporations. Brotherhoods and associations were also founded to assist the poor people, among which the Misericordia Maggiore stands out for importance and richness.

Bergamo San Giacomo

The period of the municipal autonomy continued until the end of the 13th century. Afterwards, the disputes between the leading families of the city became harsher and harsher, with the Suardi family on the Ghibelline side, and the Colleoni family on the Guelph side. In 1295 the Suardi family claimed the intervention of the Viscounts of Milan, and consequently, the town starts losing its force and autonomy. In 1331 a peacemaker, king Giovanni of Bohemia, is called to town, with the purpose to bring peace between the fighting factions. The king imposed a truce, but this meant the end of civil rights and liberties. A new statute was issued, starting with a submission act of the citizen assembly to the new Seignior. In this period the castle is built up, as symbol of the new power.
One year later, in 1332, Azzoni Visconti takes possess of the city. It’s the beginning of the Visconti domination. The city centre is built and the fortification of the Castle San Vigilio completed. Bergamo is now a pawn in the diplomatic and military game of the great Italian states, who faced each other over the century to establish a balance of powers in Italy. At the end of these fights, Bergamo becomes part of the Venetian Republic in 1427, and will remain under the rule of the Serenissima until 1797. Inside the Venetian state, Bergamo represents a border city. The new institutional frame elects a new figure, the Rector, nominated by the Venetian government. The city statute, renovated in 1430, reflects the new political situation: it opens with an act of submission to Venice. Nonetheless, following a series of negotiations and dealings, Bergamo succeeds in obtaining an important compromise in terms of local power management: upon guarantee of the maintaining of its military control and fiscal obligations, Venice grants Bergamo a wide autonomy, accepting to maintain the city magistracy, and imposing to its governors a softer presence.

Bergamo Piazza Vecchia

With the fall of the Republic in 1797, Bergamo passes under the Napoleon domain. Then again between 1814 and 1859 under the Austrian empire, becoming part of the Lombard-Venetian Reign. Either during the Napoleonic and the Austrian domain, Bergamo conquers a new role respect to the past: from being a simple border city, Bergamo becomes in fact an effective part of the Reign. On 8th June 1859, Garibaldi makes his triumphal entry to Bergamo through the gate of San Lorenzo. It’s the end of the foreign domination. In 1860 Bergamo contributes with the highest number of volunteers who joined the expedition organized by Garibaldi, something which gives the city the honourable title of “City of the thousands”. Over the 20th century the Lower Bergamo is subject to a strong urban expansion, assuming the aspect of a city stretching in semicircle all around the valley. The modern urban propagations fork into more directions, following both the ancient routes, and the areas close to the main connections to the major cities of Lombardy and the valleys. During the first World War, many young people from Bergamo, especially members of the Alpine Corp, left unforgettable testimonies of their courage. And also the dramatic period which concluded the two decades of the fascist regime saw the presence of Bergamo, which actively took part in the Resistance. The Partisans have been protagonist, among the mountains and valleys, of great acts of courage. With the liberation of Italy and the proclamation of the Republic, the democratic life of the parties witnesses a new rush and enthusiasm. The basic values of the city are once again those of liberty and democracy.