Castello di Malpaga

The Castle of Malpaga is one of the most important buildings in Lombardy in terms of its historical and artistic significance. It is located just a few kilometres from the city of Bergamo, home to the famous Colleoni Chapel. In the 15th century, it served as the noble residence of the Captain of the Republic of Venice, Bartolomeo Colleoni, whose renowned funerary chapel can be visited in the central Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo. Colleoni had this sanctuary enriched with masterful frescoes painted by highly renowned Italian and foreign artists, including ‘Il Romanino’, who was considered a master of Lombard realism.

The Castle offers numerous experiential visits throughout the year, including nocturnal tours, visits in period costumes, treasure hunts for families and historical themed dinners, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a bygone era. It is also possible to have a great meal at the suitably named Locanda dei Nobili Viaggiatori (restaurant ‘for honourable travellers’), stay overnight in the Bed & Breakfast facilities, enjoy a drink at the Giardino degli Scudi (‘Garden of Shields’) bistro, take a leisurely cycling ride through the scenic beauty of Serio Park’s nature trails and admire the flowering of over 150,000 tulips during the ‘Cogli il Bello’ initiative held between March and April, when guests are invited to come and pick their own flowers.

The history of Castello di Malpaga
The Castle of Malpaga was built in the 14th century as a simple military fortress. After being abandoned and ceded to the Municipality of Bergamo, it was purchased in 1456 by Bergamasque ‘condottiero’ and military leader Bartolomeo Colleoni, who had recently been appointed commanding general of the Republic of Venice. Colleoni enhanced the property by commissioning additional rooms and valuable frescoes, transforming it into a courtly noble residence, surrounded and well-protected by two moats and the outbuildings in which the six hundred soldiers of his personal army, called the ‘Colleonesca’, were housed.

The elegant courtyard of honour and the Banquet Hall, with its sixteenth-century narrative cycle illustrating the visit of King Christian I of Denmark in 1471, host genuine ‘period snapshots’, created by masters of realism from Lombard, Marcello Fogolino and ‘Il Romanino’. The ‘piano nobile’ first floor displays refined 15th-century frescoes in the ‘courtly Gothic’ style, executed by French craftsmen from Burgundy, and 16th-century paintings of a sacred and mythological nature by Lattanzio Gambara, Bonifacio Bembo and Giambattista Castello. The classical mythological scenes by Pietro Ricchi from Lucca that adorn some of the reception rooms on the ground floor are particularly striking and noteworthy.

Upon the death of Bartolomeo Colleoni in 1475, Castello di Malpaga was inherited by his nephews and remained in the possession of the Martinengo Colleoni family until 1885, when the Castle was purchased by the Roncalli Counts. In 1924, it became the property of the Crespi family. Since 1982, it has been owned by Malpaga S.p.A.

Facilities and services at Castello di Malpaga
The Castle of Malpaga is open for guided tours and audio-guide visits on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. A variety of thematic activities are also proposed for all age groups, including night-time tours, visits with period costumes, family activities, historical dinners, birthday parties, hen and stag nights, school workshops for pre-school, primary and secondary school students, educational tours of the farm, tulip picking initiatives, bistro facilities and picnics. The Castle is also available for private group visits, corporate events, private events and weddings.