PALAZZO DEL PODESTÀ – MUSEO DEL CINQUECENTO

The Palace stands as a bridge between two eras: on the one hand Old Square, where the architecture breathes Venetian charm, on the other hand the medieval Cathedral Square, guardian of the municipal memory with its churches and the Palazzo della Ragione.

Inside, the Museum of the Sixteenth Century welcomes visitors into a multimedia and interactive experience. An immersive journey made of sounds and suggestions that brings Bergamo's Golden Age back to life: among prestigious palaces and ancient cloisters, the chronicles of nobles struggling for power, ambitious merchants and condottieri loyal to the Serenissima emerge. Here you can step into the shoes of a 16th-century traveller, explore an apothecary's workshop or relive the printing revolution and the great geographical discoveries.

The route is enhanced by the famous view a bird's eye view by Alvise Cima (1693), where the contrast between the medieval walls and the imposing Venetian Walls, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017. Among the treasures on display are a rare 16th century pilot book and a virtual reconstruction of the ancient St Alexander's Fair, historic crossroads of European trade.

Palazzo del Podestà is the beating heart of the Bergamo Story Museum, the widespread museum network that narrates the evolution of the city from antiquity to the 20th century.