Page 37 - Investing in Bergamo EN

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ART, ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY, WATER

Bergamo is a city of art. The upper town is one of the most attractive in Italy due to the
homogeneity of the urban fabric, works of art and state of preservation. The system
of the Venetian Walls that encircle the city has been nominated to become a UNESCO
World Heritage Site (2019).
The province is full of numerous artistic and historical displays, so it is impossible to
list them all, but a few that deserve to be mentioned are the Accademia Carrara, one
the biggest art galleries in Italy, the ancient villages in the valleys, the hillside villas, the
castles in the plains, the churches and convents, the paintings by Lotto and Caravaggio,
the Madonnas of Bellini, the Romanesque San Tomè, the Danse Macabre of Clusone,
the Sacristy of Alzano, the marquetry of Fantoni and many other beauties. Even the
industrial archaeology has its displays, such as the Village of Crespi d’Adda (also a
UNESCO Heritage site), and less prestigious sites such as the cement factory of Alzano
Lombardo and the old power plants.
There are also many significant environmental values within a man-made context.
A third of the province is parkland; the largest is the park of the Orobie, which
covers all the mountain area. The most well-known is that of the Hills of Bergamo which
starts from the Upper City and penetrates into the hilly area.
Except for a few exceptions, the entire environmental system was planned to limit the
uncontrolled expansion of settlements in higher density areas. The three major rivers
are also protected areas, although the protection is relatively recent which means the
territory has a mixture of residential and industrial areas.
The landscape around the rivers is more complex because the waterways were
protagonists of the province’s industrialisation, supplying water and energy to industries,
especially textiles. The progressive construction of the road system subsequently
favoured the move to the plains
The rivers are still the largest source of energy. There are 22 large dams, i.e. those with
a capacity of more than 1 million cubic meters and/or with barriers higher than 15
meters).
Water is the backbone of the economy, even with the numerous mineral sources and
three thermal spas.
The sensitivity to environmental protection is widespread and, as is often the case,
businesses in Bergamo have seized this opportunity. The “green” economy is now a
well-established reality. Among the most industrialised provinces, for the period
2008-2013, Bergamo had the second largest number of “eco-friendly” businesses
in Italy (Greenitaly, Symbola, Unioncamere, 2013). These innovative businesses export
more and greatly boost the demand for labour.