Città Alta, historic city centre of Bergamo, Italy, located within city walls on the hills ca. 90 m above the Lower Town parts of Bergamo
Città Alta is the historic upper town of Bergamo, situated on a hilltop and surrounded by old city walls with gates. Narrow streets lined with stone buildings featuring simple facades and small shuttered windows create a medieval layout, with the main square Piazza Vecchia serving as the central gathering point with its fountain and historic structures around it.
This area was founded many centuries ago and served as a fortified town to protect against invaders. The walls and gates show how residents defended themselves, and over time modifications and additions were made to the fortifications to maintain their protective function.
The name Città Alta refers to the upper location on the hill, and residents use the narrow streets and squares as gathering places for daily life. You can see locals enjoying coffee at small cafes, shopping in traditional stores, and walking slowly through the lanes, maintaining a rhythm that has changed little over centuries. The stone buildings and cobblestone roads shape how people move through and experience this part of Bergamo.
A funicular railway connects the lower part of Bergamo to Città Alta and offers views during the brief ride. The narrow streets are closed to cars but easy to explore on foot, and many small shops sell handmade goods and local specialties like polenta and cheese.
The city walls were modified and improved multiple times over centuries, with each generation adding their own enhancements. This ongoing adaptation shows how residents across different periods renewed the fortifications to keep them effective as circumstances changed.
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