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This was a Gallic settlement and the first recording of the city dates back to 200 BC and was known as Municipium Bergomum. The city of Bergamo was then known as Barra, a name given to it Cydno, son of the original of the Liguri family. In the sixth BC the city was turned into a fortress by the Estruscans as its location was ideal for standing watch over the plains below to keep look out for the enemy, remember we are talking only about the upper city. In the sixth century, the city was taken over by the Gauls who then renamed it Berghem that meant city on the mountain. The arrival of the Roman Empire caused the slight variation in the name Bergomum and it was at this point that the walls were built around the city. Before the city became a free town in the twelve century, it had a period of being ruled by the Longobords and the Franks, first as a member of the Lombard League of towns and then under the control of Milan. In 1428 everything changes when the city was handed over to the Venetians that harked a period of growth in social, cultural and political terms. The walls were also strengthened and rebuilt during this period. The French freed the city during the French revolution and made it part of the French Cisapine Republic as and independent republic. In 1859 the city was unified with the rest of Italy despite a short period of rule by the Austrians after the congress of Vienna. |