Palazzo della Ragione was one of the first public buildings to be erected in the Middle Ages, with the ground floor open like a portico, where the local people would gather during moments of community life.
It was built between 1183 and 1198, and once looked onto Piazza del Duomo, but when this square was built in 1453, the main entrance was moved to this side, and the monumental covered staircase was built.
The most elegant elements can be seen on the façade: take a moment to admire the triple-arch windows and the Venetian-style loggia. The lion of St Mark, the symbol of Venice, is present here because Bergamo was under the control of Venice from 1428 to the end of the 18th century.
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