Colleoni

This itinerary takes us on a discovery of residences, works of art, monuments and mausoleums connected to the life of Bartolomeo Colleoni, linking places and realities that visitors are not always familiar with or are known to just some, but without furthering the link with the Bergamasque mercenary leader and his descendants. This is why, in addition to the better-known castles of Malpaga and Cavernago and his archaic funerary chapel, we embark on a journey that recounts not only his life but that of the entire family, such as the mercenary leader’s residence in the city, the Luogo Pio, along with the work that symbolised Lorenzo Lotto’s presence in Bergamo, commissioned by Alessandro Martinengo Colleoni, as well as the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Basella in Urgnano, commissioned by Bartolomeo.

½ day route:
The route sets out in Bergamo, from the Colleoni Chapel, tomb of the Bergamo mercenary leader, then moves on to the Luogo Pio Colleoni, a town residence along the Corsarola. Finally, we descend to the Città Bassa – or, Lower Town – by the Church of SS. Bartolomeo and Stefano along the Sentierone to admire the work by Lorenzo Lotto, commissioned by Alessandro Martinengo Colleoni, Bartolomeo’s nephew and heir.

½ day route:
The itinerary continues to nearby Scanzorosciate, birthplace of Francesco Martinengo Colleoni born in 1548 as a descendant of Bartolomeo Colleoni, one of the most important condottiere (mercenary captains) and diplomat in the historical period between the 16th and 17th centuries.

½ day route:
We then move on to discover the Rocca di Urgnano, with this fortress being in the historical possession of the Colleoni family, later ceded to the Albani family, along with the Santuario della Madonna della Basella (in Urgnano), a chapel built by Bartolomeo and the original site of the tomb of his daughter Medea, later moved to the Città Alta. This part of the route continues with a visit to the fortified village of Martinengo and the Martinengo-Colleoni tower house concluding in Covo, the place that links Bartolomeo to the relics of Mary Magdalene and Lazarus.

½ day route:
The itinerary continues to Romano di Lombardia where stands the Portici della Misericordia in the heart of the historic centre, commissioned by Bartolomeo Colleoni and donated upon his death to the Consorzio della Misericordia – hence the name – for charitable purposes. It consists of sixteen arches between the portico of the Palazzo della Comunità and the wall of the shop next to Porta Brescia, on which there is a 20th-century lunette representing a “Pietà”. The construction, similar to analogous Venetian buildings of the time, was based on a modular layout where each module, corresponding to one bay of the portico, consisted of a workshop on the ground floor, living quarters on the first floor and a woodshed in the attic, following the style of Venetian fondaci (storehouses) used for living and trading.

½ day route:
The journey continues to Cavernago, the mercenary captain’s feud, for a visit to the Castello di Cavernago and to the ancient fortified village of Malpaga which Colleoni bought to turn into his general quarters. The fortress houses evidence of the passage of illustrious men, guests of the mercenary leader during his lifetime.