The Italian city of Bergamo is worth visiting at least because of one of its attractions, a perfectly preserved medieval castle. Although even the locals call it the "Rocca" castle, the ancient defensive structure has no name at all, as "Rocca" in Italian is nothing but a fortress. So it turns out that the main attraction of the city is an unnamed fortress. By the way, not only the name of the castle is unknown but also the exact date of its construction. Presumably, the massive defensive walls were erected at the beginning of the 14th century by order of King John of Luxembourg.
The round observation tower was built in the 15th century, and the construction of the entire fortress continued until the 19th century. The Rocca of Bergamo was not only a military fortification but also an important political center of the city. Later, there were barracks and even a city prison. Today, it houses the impressive collection of the Museum of Liberation and Resistance, which displays all the significant historical documents of the 19th-20th centuries.
While enjoying the view of the ancient stone castle and observing the museum exhibits, do not forget to take a walk in the charming castle garden. Today, there is an exhibition of Italian military equipment from the Second World War. Among the numerous guns, visitors can even find a military tank. But the true treasure of the Rocca – the fantastic view of Bergamo with its red-tiled roofs, towers of ancient churches, and amazing natural landscapes fascinating with their beauty – can be found on its defensive walls.
Not far from the Rocca, there is another citadel, the ancient San Vigilio Castle. Unlike the Rocca, San Vigilio consists only of ruins and fragments of defensive walls.