Bergamo's impressive defence system is part of a complex strategic project promoted by the Republic of Venice between the 16th and 17th centuries. Made by the best military architects and engineers of the time, stretching over 1,000 kilometres, crossing the Ground State (today Lombardy e Veneto) and the Sea State (topical Croatia e Montenegro).
A Bergamo, the wall develops by 5.3 kilometreswith a height varying between 10.5 and almost 22 metres. Built with stones from the surrounding hills, presents:
- 5 access doors - proceeding anti-clockwise: Relief Gate, St. Alexander's Gate, St James' Gate, Porta Sant'Agostino e Porta San Lorenzo
- 14 bastions,
- 2 deposits of gunpowder,
- 2 platforms e
- 2 gunboats.
Via walkways e sorties protected, soldiers could reach the escape routes at the base of the ramparts. The construction of the walls required 27 years of work, from 1561 to 1588with an expenditure of more than million ducats, equivalent today to approximately EUR 150 million.
Western point of the Venetian domains, Bergamo occupied a strategic location for trade with the Canton of Grisons and theCentral Europeas well as for the military defence from Duchy of Milanat the time under Spanish domination. The construction of the walls involved numerous demolitionsincluding:
- the early christian cathedral dedicated to St Alexander,
- the Dominican convent of Saints Dominic and Stephen.
In 1572, the building registry reports 213 houses demolished out of a total of 762. In 1580There were 445 dwellings present.
La Venetian fortress was never conquered or attacked. The arrival of the French troops in 1797 occurred without clasheswith the military apparatus already in disuse. In the 19th century, the walls were converted to civil usealso becoming belvedere on the lower town. In 1826stones for the Seminar caused the Partial collapse of the bastion of San Giovanni; in the 1908a section of the wall was demolished to open via Beltrami, link between Upper Town e Castagneta.
From January 2016, Bergamo has assumed the role of lead partner for recognition UNESCO of Venetian fortifications such as transnational serial site. The project includes the walled cities of:
- Peschiera del Garda
- Palmanova (Italy)
- Zara e Šibenik (Croatia)
- Cattaro (Montenegro)
La official proclamation by the World Cultural Heritage Committee the8 July 2017.
Project financed with funds from Law no. 77 of 20 February 2006
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