 |
Castles and lookout towers protecting the old town |
The remains of a look-out and guard system on which the defences of the old town were based can still be found among the green hills of Bergamo. The heart of this system was the castle built on the hill of San Vigilio. Here, even in Roman times, a tower was supposed to have existed. From the top of the castle, lookouts were in continuous visual contact with the towers and fortresses situated in strategic points, due to the extensive panoramic views. A wooden tower, or fortification, could be found on the high ground that lies just above the castle (Mount Bastia). Signals made using fire or mirrors would reach the fortification from a tower that stood on the far edge of the group of hills where today the striking Sombrero Sanctuary stands (which can be reached by car, on foot along one of the hill paths or by bike).
From this tower the nearby River Brembo could be watched and messages received from a fortress that was situated above the town of Mapello – another strategic point for watching over the San Martino Valley and the roads between the rivers Adda and Brembo across the piedmont plain.
From the castle of San Vigilio, but also from other places inside the town, such as the “Torre Civica” (Civic Tower), or from the Rocca (fortress), signals could be seen coming from a tower on the top of Mount Canto, whose unmistakeable profile acts a backdrop to Bergamo on the side of the city facing the mountains. A garrison placed on the pointed peak of this mountain would certainly not be able to miss groups of armed soldiers descending the Brembana Valley. This observation system for protecting the city against sudden attack was used above all in medieval times, during the conflict between the Guelphs and the Ghibelines.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
