VENETIAN WALLS, Venetian Walls

Hi, my name’s Scott, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo, I’d like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world: the Venetian Walls of Bergamo, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 9 July 2017.

Astounding: there’s no other word that comes close to describing the spectacular walls built by the Venetians, which for four hundred years have been protecting the Upper Town. Six kilometers long and up to 20 meters high, the height of a seven-floor building, and extremely thick in order to stand up to any kind of bombing of the time, and to conceal the passageways and artillery inside.

The walls have remained intact throughout. The four magnificent monumental gates into the Upper Town are still adorned with the lion of St. Mark, the symbol of Venice, reintroduced there in 1958 during the restoration work on the gates. Along your way, you’ll see hundreds of openings for artillery, and 14 ramparts, the enormous, protruding, lance-shaped, walled sections used for advanced defense and to strike any enemies who had managed to reach the walls.

Inside the walls, you’ll find two indestructible gunpowder magazines, walkways and barracks, as well as a complex underground system of secret passageways and tunnels. Don’t miss the chance to explore the inside of the walls and visit the embrasures: you can do so in complete safety, thanks to Le Nottole Association....