Cappella Colleoni
The façade stops you before you even reach the door. Polychrome marble in white, red and black lozenges covers every surface, climbing through pilasters and biforas toward an octagonal dome crowned with a lantern and a statue of the Madonna and Child. It looks almost too elaborate to be real — and that, more or less, was the point.
Inside, the square room narrows toward the presbytery, and your eye travels up through ribbed vaulting to Tiepolo's frescoes of saints, painted between 1732 and 1733. Opposite the entrance, the gilded wooden equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni presides over his own tomb. On the left wall, a quieter monument marks the grave of his daughter Medea, who died at twelve.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to linger at the coat of arms near the entrance — three testicles, a talking heraldic pun on the Colleoni name — which locals and visitors alike have rubbed for luck so persistently the marble has taken on a particular shine. Worth a look before you step inside, when the light on the façade is still catching the coloured lozenges at their best.
The story behind Cappella Colleoni
Bartolomeo Colleoni, captain-general for the Republic of Venice, commissioned this chapel as his personal mausoleum, and construction began in 1472 after the demolition of the sacristy of the adjacent Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore — an act that required both ecclesiastical and municipal authorisation, secured by his friend and supervising architect Alessio Agliardi. Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, already known for his work at the Certosa di Pavia, designed the structure. Colleoni was buried here on 4 January 1476, two months after his death, with work still ongoing.
His daughter Medea, who died in 1470 aged twelve, was also interred here. More than two and a half centuries later, Giambattista Tiepolo added the dome frescoes. In 1969, Colleoni's remains were rediscovered in a crypt beneath the monument, 494 years after his death.
Good to know
Free to enter; closed Mondays. Hours shorten November through February (last entry 16:30). Photography is not permitted inside. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. Steps at the entrance make wheelchair access difficult. The chapel sits directly beside the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Piazza del Duomo.
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What travellers say about Cappella Colleoni
The Colleoni Chapel in Bergamo’s Upper Town, Piazza Duomo, is a Renaissance gem commissioned by Bartolomeo Colleoni as his mausoleum. Built between 1472 and 1476 by Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, it replaced part of Santa Maria Maggiore, sparking controversy. Today, it stands as a symbol of artistic and historical grandeur.
A true gem in Bergamo! The architecture is stunning, and the details inside are incredible. Definitely worth a visit if you're exploring the old town!
Absolutely spectacular baroque church!!! Limited hours. Check website. Weekends can get a little busy but this is the most special church we have seen in Europe so don’t miss it! Have fun!
Unmissable. I gazed for ages at the ceiling, the misericords, everywhere is beautiful. €2 to enter. Up there with the Sacre Couer.
For €2.30, you get to see one of Italy’s most beautiful chapels. The details, colors, and sculptures are just incredible
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