[Oct. 2024] We went to Bergamo on this day to show a friend from France, who lives came to visit our home in northern Italy.
First, we had a meal in the lower town (Citta Bassa), then took the funicular to the upper town (Citta Alta).
We’ve been there many times, and it’s a quaint town with cobblestone slopes.
It’s also heart-warming to see that the restaurant I went to with my parents a long time ago in the early 1990s is still there.
Walking around the city was the purpose of the trip, but what we really wanted to show our friend was Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.
This church has a history dating back to the 12th century and occupies an important position as the religious centre of Bergamo.
Inside there are wonderful frescoes and sculptures.
Before entering, I stroked the “three balls coat of arms” outside the gate.
I learned this a long time ago at Malpaga Castle, south of Bergamo, that the lord of this castle, Bartolomeo Colleoni, had three testicles.
He was so proud of it that he made a coat of arms out of his three testicles, which is in front of the church where he is buried.
It is said that stroking this coat of arms will bring you good luck.
I’ve always wanted to stroke it, and this time it finally came true.
I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of good luck it will bring to me.
This Basilica is truly breathtakingly luxurious, but I was surprised to find that I couldn’t find the “Tree of Life” painting that had made an impression on me the last time we visited.
Maybe it was being restored?
This time, we paid €5 each and went up to the treasure room for the first time.
The last time we visited, we could see a fresco just behind the half-open door, which turned out to be the entrance to the treasure room.
There was a volunteer woman standing at the entrance to limit the number of people allowed in, so we chatted.
She told us that her two uncles were doing missionary work in Kumamoto in Japan.
Because of that, she had been to Kyushu.
Travelling to Japan is popular these days, and everyone says, “I’ve been to Japan,” or “I’m going to Japan soon,” but there are exceptions like this.
Apparently one of the uncles is a naturalized Japanese citizen.
Now, the highlight of the treasure here is a religious painting made from 20 different kinds of wood, using the colours of the wood itself without painting.
They were not only in the treasure room, but were lined up around the main altar as well.
Also, there was a small window from which you could see the female figures painted on the ceiling inside the cathedral from this almost sealed room.
Apparently, monks who were forced to live an ascetic life gazed upon figures of women from here.
Poor thing.
The main part of the splendid cathedral is in the Baroque style, but this treasury room is built in an earlier style and is simple.
Apparently, this room was closed off when the Baroque style was introduced and was not accessible.
After leaving here, we also went into the Cathedral, which is very close to the Basilica, but this is a much more modest church.
We went down into the crypt, where the graves of past bishops are lined up.
I’m sure I’ve seen this before, but still interesting to see that there were five empty graves prepared.
What does it mean to know where you’ll go after you die?
Is it a sense of security, or a feeling similar to resignation?
That reminded me of my mother who spent a lot of money to buy a grave a few years ago.
