San Giacomo Gate (“Porta San Giacomo”) used to be the entrance to Bergamo for those who came from Milan. It’s the only access to the Walls that can be perfectly seen from Viale Vittorio Emanuele, the axis crossing Lower Bergamo from South to North, both for its position and for its colour. In fact, it is made of white marble extracted from Zandobbio’s quarries, in the near Cavallina Valley: this material makes the gate stand out against the grey defensive walls. Due to these characteristics, besides being one of the most photographed places of Bergamo, it is also an ideal background on which projecting coloured lights during particular events (for instance, the colours of the Italian flag during national celebrations. Lean on the balustrade and enjoy, on one side, a stunning view of the Venetian fortification, and a fantastic panorama of the Lower Town and the Plain up to the Apennines on the other one!
This Gate consists of a triangular pediment supported by classical semi-columns. Likewise the other gates of the city, the carved Lion of Saint Mark dominates it, as a symbol of the Venice Republic. Porta San Giacomo hasn’t always looked like that: the old wooden drawbridge, which used to close the access in case of danger, was demolished in the late XVIII Century by the Venetian governor Alvise Contarini. The street you can walk even today replaced it. The beauty of San Giacomo Gate is due to the romantic stone bridge leading to it, as well as to the brightness of the marble. This material has been extracted since ancient times in Zandobbio, in the province of Bergamo. Bergamo’s inhabitants also used it to erect other important buildings, such as Palazzo Nuovo (currently the seat of the Angelo Mai Library) and the Contarini Fountain in Piazza Vecchia.
Out of curiosity: Likewise the other gates of the Walls, every night at 10 San Giacomo Gate used to be closed to guarantee the city’s safety.
San Giacomo Gate (“Porta San Giacomo”) used to be the entrance to Bergamo for those who came from Milan. It’s the only access to the Walls that can be perfectly seen from Viale Vittorio Emanuele, the axis crossing Lower Bergamo from South to North, both for its position and for its colour. In fact, it is made of white marble extracted from Zandobbio’s quarries, in the near Cavallina Valley: this material makes the gate stand out against the grey defensive walls. Due to these characteristics, besides being one of the most photographed places of Bergamo, it is also an ideal background on which projecting coloured lights during particular events (for instance, the colours of the Italian flag during national celebrations. Lean on the balustrade and enjoy, on one side, a stunning view of the Venetian fortification, and a fantastic panorama of the Lower Town and the Plain up to the Apennines on the other one!
This Gate consists of a triangular pediment supported by classical semi-columns. Likewise the other gates of the city, the carved Lion of Saint Mark dominates it, as a symbol of the Venice Republic. Porta San Giacomo hasn’t always looked like that: the old wooden drawbridge, which used to close the access in case of danger, was demolished in the late XVIII Century by the Venetian governor Alvise Contarini. The street you can walk even today replaced it. The beauty of San Giacomo Gate is due to the romantic stone bridge leading to it, as well as to the brightness of the marble. This material has been extracted since ancient times in Zandobbio, in the province of Bergamo. Bergamo’s inhabitants also used it to erect other important buildings, such as Palazzo Nuovo (currently the seat of the Angelo Mai Library) and the Contarini Fountain in Piazza Vecchia.
Out of curiosity: Likewise the other gates of the Walls, every night at 10 San Giacomo Gate used to be closed to guarantee the city’s safety.
