MUNICIPALITIES INVOLVED
FAMILIES INVOLVED
TOTAL DURATION
About 2 days
Throughout their lives, the best-known Bergamascan families were linked to the provincial territories, whose estates – crowned by an often larger and more opulent residence – were used for agricultural production and summer holidays. Thus, this itinerary was developed with the aim of unveiling both sides of the family coin – life in the city consisting of important guests, proximity to the government, inter-family contacts flipped with life in the country, rich in pomp, ample space and land for sustenance.
½ day route:
The tour begins in the Città Alta, with a journey of discovery of two historical residences within the Venetian walls: Palazzo Terzi, home to the family of the same name from the late 16th century, just a short distance from Piazza Vecchia, and Palazzo Moroni, as the seat of the lineage. The visit provides access to the state rooms, to see Baroque decorations and discover the winter gardens and extensive green areas. The route through the Città Alta concludes with stops at the historic residences of another important historical Bergamasque family: the Suardi. Here there is the Domus Suardorum then the Palazzo del Podestà in Piazza Vecchia, the Palazzo Suardi on Via Salvecchio and the current Città Alta Funicular Station, once the historic residence of Guidino Suardi.
½ day route:
The journey continues in Bergamo’s Città Bassa – or, Lower City – along Via Pignolo to discover two villas set on the downhill slope of the hill, in the direction of Venice. Here we encounter Palazzo Agliardi, built by Alessandro Martinengo Colleoni, nephew of Bartolomeo Colleoni, and rebuilt with classical forms in the 19th century by the Agliardi Counts. Then there is Palazzo Suardi, famous for its vast vegetable gardens, transformed into the city’s public park during the 20th century.
½ day route:
The journey continues into the provinces, discovering the towns of origin of these families or the places that housed their country villas. We then visit Palazzo Suardi and the wonderful Oratory frescoed by Lorenzo Lotto in Trescore Balneario and Villa Canton, another country residence of the Terzi family.
½ day route:
The tour ends in Stezzano with a visit to Villa Moroni, an important country estate close to the land holdings of the historical Bergamasque family, and the Town Hall, originally the country residence of the Grumelli-Pedrocca clan.