Overview
A medieval jewel in the upper city
Overlooking Piazza Vecchia, the beating heart of the upper city, is the Palazzo della Ragione, a splendid medieval building that, almost a thousand years after its construction, is still among the most beautiful architectural testimonies to the history of Bergamo. It is a truly unmissable stop on your exploration of the city.
Initially a public meeting place, during Venetian rule it was converted into a courthouse. It was named precisely after this purpose: the “ragione” (reason) given to those who had complied with the law. Justice was administered in the beautiful Sala delle Capriate, a room decorated with splendid frescoes and paintings, including Bramante’s Seven Sages of Greece.
Beneath the loggia with pointed arches is the “gnomone”, a sundial dating back to the 18th century: light strikes the sundial engraved on the floor, causing the clock to precisely mark midday – local time –and the date.
