A town in the Lombardia region of northern Italy, about 50km. northeast of Milan. The city was originally built on a hill; the old section of town is called Bergamo Alta, and the new section surrounding the base of the hill is called Bergamo Bassa.
The old city wall is still standing and every night at 2200 the Torre Civica, a 12th century bell tower, rings its bells 100 times as it has for hundreds of years, marking the closing of the city gates. (They don't close any more, though.) The city was controlled during medieval times by Venice instead of the much closer Florence, and the symbol of Venice, the lion, is carved above the gates.
Bergamo is the birthplace of Pope John XXIII (a.k.a. Papa Giovanni), and you see his picture everywhere.