Porta Sant’Alessandro is one of the four gates providing access to the upper part of the city of Bergamo, built between 1565 and 1575; it favoured access for travellers coming from Como and Lecco. It is located in the north-west direction of the Upper Town, and it is one of the most important historical points in the city. Porta Sant’ Alessandro apparently inherited its name from the basilica itself, which was demolished to build the Venetian walls and which had the same name.
This can also be read in a document dating back to 1892 that mentioned the basilica itself as a large church not far from the city and dedicated to the patron saint of Bergamo, who is precisely Sant’ Alessandro. It was one of the gates with the greatest protection, as it also served to ensure the safety of the aqueduct coming from the hills, and thus the water supply of the city’s cisterns and wells, which was essential in the event of long closures due to sieges and wars. With a quadrangular plan, it is covered by a hipped roof with a large attic for the guardhouse.
The outer front is clad with large regular ashlars that frame three arches, one of which was opened by the municipality in 1952 to provide better pedestrian access. At the top there is the Lion of San Marco, the symbol of the Serenissima.
Itineraries, experiences and a local soul: this is the Bergamo that we want to tell you about!
