The Campanone, officially the Torre Civica, is the medieval civic tower that rises above Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo's Città Alta. It is about 53 metres tall, carries the largest historic bell in Lombardy, and every night at 10 pm that bell still rings 100 times, as it did when the city gates were closed under Venetian rule.
The Campanone at a glance
- Where: on Piazza Vecchia in the Città Alta, beside the Palazzo del Podestà and facing the Palazzo della Ragione.
- Built: begun around the middle of the 12th century as a tower-house; public property by 1237; raised to its present height of 52.76 metres in 1550.
- What it is today: a viewing tower, part of the Museo delle Storie di Bergamo, with a combined ticket for the Palazzo del Podestà and the Museo del Cinquecento.
- Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes to go up and enjoy the view, plus time on the square below.
From family fortress to city bell tower
Like many towers in Italian cities, the Campanone started as a private stronghold. A powerful local family built it in the 12th century as a tower-house for defence and lookout, at a time when rival clans fought for control of the town. By 1237 it was recorded as a public tower, the turris Nova, and in the 14th century prison cells were set up in its base. Between the late 1300s and the early 1400s a mechanical clock was added on the side facing Piazza Vecchia.
Bergamo became part of the Republic of Venice in 1428, and under Venetian rule the tower became the city's voice. In 1550 the municipality raised it from about 38 to almost 53 metres to hold a bigger belfry. The great bell that gives the tower its nickname was cast by Bartolomeo Pesenti: the first attempt failed when the mould exploded, the second bell broke after it was hung, and the third, cast on 23 March 1656, is the one you hear today. It weighs about 5.5 tonnes.
What to look for
- The clock on the Piazza Vecchia side, a reminder that this tower kept the city's time for centuries.
- The difference in the stonework where the 1550 extension begins above the older medieval shaft.
- The view from the top: the roofs and domes of the Città Alta, Santa Maria Maggiore close by, and on clear days the plain of Lombardy and the Alpine foothills.
- The great bell itself, cast in 1656, the largest historic bell in Lombardy.
- Piazza Vecchia from above: the Contarini Fountain in the middle and the open arcades of the Palazzo della Ragione.
Why 100 strokes at 10 pm?
Every evening at 10 o'clock the Campanone rings 100 times. The tradition goes back to Venetian rule, when the bell announced the curfew and the closing of the gates in the city walls. The gates have long stopped closing, but the ritual has survived, and standing on Piazza Vecchia as the strokes roll over the rooftops is one of the best things to do in Bergamo after dinner.
Tips for your visit
- Go up in the late afternoon for the softest light over the plain, then come back to the square at 10 pm for the 100 strokes.
- Pick a clear day if you can: the view to the Alpine foothills is the main reward of the climb.
- Buy the combined ticket if you want to see the Palazzo del Podestà next door as well.
Nearby
- Palazzo della Ragione: Bergamo's medieval town hall, with an open arcade that leads through to Piazza Duomo.
- Santa Maria Maggiore and the Colleoni Chapel: a Romanesque basilica with a richly decorated interior and a Renaissance chapel beside it, just behind the Palazzo della Ragione.
- The Venetian walls: the 16th-century fortifications around the Città Alta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, with views over the lower town.
- The funicular to the lower town: the cable railway that links the Città Alta with Bergamo's modern centre.
See Bergamo with World City Trail
Our Bergamo scavenger hunt turns Città Alta into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 22 minutes of walking. It includes Piazza Vecchia and the lanes of Città Alta.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Bergamo.
Play the Bergamo scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Bergamo →
Play the outdoor escape game in Bergamo →
Facts checked in October 2026.