Description of the attraction
The Colleone Chapel is one of the main attractions of Bergamo, located in the Upper Town in Piazza Duomo. The chapel was built in 1472 as the mausoleum of the famous Venetian condottiere and army general Bartolomeo Colleone. It was he who, in order to implement his plan, ordered the destruction of the sacristy of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the erection of a chapel in its place.
Being a very sophisticated and modern person, Colleone designed a monument that, standing in the very center of the city square, was supposed to create a new panorama (by the way, for the same reason, it was planned to demolish the Palazzo della Ragione since 1474). The chapel was designed by the architect Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, who at one time worked on the Certosa cemetery in Padua. The task given to the architect was very difficult: he had to build a room for the burial of Colleone, which at the same time had to be suitable for holding daytime services and create a single ensemble with the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. That is why the octahedral vestibule of the dome of the chapel and the pointed projections of the lantern resemble the intricate elements of the basilica, and the exuberant multicolor of the chapel facade echoes the colors of the portals of the basilica, created in the 14th century by Giovanni da Campione.
Inside the chapel, you can see the grave of Bartolomeo Colleone. It consists of two superimposed arches inscribed in a triumphal arch - a kind of reworking of typical Gothic tombs, made in the Renaissance style. Renaissance features can be seen in bas-reliefs and sculptures that reflect Amadeo's extraordinary abilities. Also visible on the sarcophagus is a wooden statue of Colleone on horseback, made by Sisto and Siri Nuremberg in 1501. The vaults of the dome and lunettes are decorated with wonderful frescoes by Tiepolo.
On the left wall is the grave of Medea, the beloved daughter of the condottiere, also made by Amadeo. In front of it is a high relief depicting Pieta, and below is a bench with wooden inlay.
