Convento di San Francesco

The charm of a hidden treasure, just a stone’s throw from Piazza Vecchia 
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Useful information

Map, tickets and opening hours
History

Description and curiosities about the place
Useful information

Map, tickets and opening hours
History

Description and curiosities about the place

Not far from the heart of Upper Bergamo, walk across Piazza Mercato del Fieno to discover a fine 14th-century monastery that’s rich in hidden treasures. Its Cloister of the Arks, Cloister of the Well, and chapter house will reveal the long history of this building through frescoes from the 1300s and 1400s. A terrace offers a must-see panorama of the meeting point of two valleys, the Brembana and the Seriana.

Bergamo 900

A twentieth century of history. A territory of stories. A new museum

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Museo della Fotografia Sestini

A journey through the history of photography

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Un tavolo multimediale con alle spalle monitor che proiettano fotografie del Novecento

Visioni Fenomenali

Photography between science , experiments and optical illusions

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Chiostro del Convento ripreso dall'angolo
Un ciclo di affreschi che raffigurano S. Pietro e S. Giovanni Battista,
Panorama dalla terrazza del Convento San Francesco
Un dettaglio del Convento di San Francesco

Convento di San Francesco

Built between the late 1200s and the early 1500s, the Convento di San Francesco is a fine example of Medieval abbey architecture, built around cloisters.

Peaceful cloisters, traces of centuries-old frescoes, and a terrace with a view of the meeting point of two valleys (the Seriana and Brembana) welcome visitors to the monastery.

Over the centuries, the complex has had many different uses: it was home to Franciscan friars in the Middle Ages, prisoners and prison guards in the Napoleonic and Austrian eras, and students and teachers from the 1930s to the 1990s.

To the east of the two cloisters and the chapter house, the rooms of the old church are now used for temporary shows and exhibitions.

Ripresa di un chiostro con colonne al tramonto

The Convent’s history

From the construction of the church to the completion of the monastical complex, from the Napoleonic era to various 20th-century uses: 8 stages in the convent’s history.

1277

Founding of the Convent

Construction began on the church of Saint Francis, on land donated by the Bonghi family

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14th cen.

Cloister of the Arks

The monastery, housing and headquarters of the Franciscan monks were built around the church

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14th cen.

Chapter House

One of the gems of the convent, decorated by 14th-century frescos

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15th cen.

Cloister of the Well

In the mid-1500s, the Convento di San Francesco reached its definitive layout

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1797

Closure of the Monastery

The new political landscape overturned the uses and structure of the monastic complex

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1938

Conversion into a school

The Municipality of Bergamo decided to use the convent as an elementary school

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1943-1945

World War II

Conversion into a school managed by the Italian National Republican Guard

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1997

The Museum

The former monastery became the ‘home’ of the Civic Museum

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Book your visit

Exciting tours to discover  Convento and its museums! Enjoy the museums in a natural and playful way, doing something involving. Tour available  in english language

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Buy the all in one ticket

The six places in the Museum network can be visited with one ticket! It’s called ALL IN ONE and is valid for 48 hours

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Piazza Mercato del fieno 6/a, 24129 Bergamo BG

Tuesday – Thursday: 10-13 – 14-17 | Friday – Sunday & Holidays: 10-13 – 14-18

Closed on Christmas and New Year’s Eve

Accessible.

The smaller cloister of the Convent has architectural barriers Small dogs are allowed but must be kept in a pet carrier. Guide dogs are permitted at all times.

How to reach us

Convento di San Francesco + Bergamo 900 + Museo della Fotografia Sestini + Temporary exhibitions

Full 5 €

Reduced 3€
Amici del Museo delle storie di Bergamo, University students up to 26 years old, Groups of 15 people, discounts

Free
Amici del Museo delle storie di Bergamo, University students up to 26 years old, Groups of 15 people, discounts
Abbonamento Musei Lombardia

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Getting here

intro history tickets & opening hours