In one of Bergamo’s most historic districts, this fourteenth century Benedictine church appears unexpectedly in the midst of modern buildings.
The Church and the Monastery of the Celestines were built in 1300, in the district formerly called Plorzano and now Santa Caterina.
The architectural lines and the simple structure reflect the canons of the Benedictine Order, far from splendid. With centuries, however, the church was enlarged and in 1600 it became more “baroque” with a large staircase and the addition of frescoes, stuccoes and carvings inside.
You can also visit the adjoining small square plan medieval Cloister, the arcade and the large Cloister with four angular stone pillars and 14th century capitals.
The Monastery was closed at the end of the 19th century, while the Church, after a period of deconsecrating, was restored and returned to the city and to worship in 1939.