Get ready to pedal through the enchanting streets of this North-Italian city freed from traffic only for one night, with architectural lovers from all over the world on May 25th, 2024. 

Petite Bergamo is not what it seems. Famous for its fabulous upper town’ skyline sculpted in the Middle Ages; there's still a lower part, entirely built in the 20th century to serve its bustling industries. Bergamo Bassa (from Italian "Lower") became the playground of the leading Italian architects of the XXth centuries, like Marcello Piacentini (the one of EUR and Citta' Universitaria of Rome) and Giovanni Muzio (the one of Ca Brutta) and local masters, Pino Pizzigoni, Giuseppe Gambirasio & Giorgio Zenoni. "It’s here where they found clients quite ambitious to realize architect's dreams", says the author of the route, Dr.Sergey Nikitin-Rimsky, inviting guests to discover these jewels still little known outside the city walls.

Following the resounding success of the first Velonotte Bergamo in 2023, which drew over 300 participants from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, VeloNotte this year's edition promises a journey entitled “Tales of meadows and squares”, inviting participants to explore the city's rich variety of public spaces. 15 kms of riding with 8 stops, where leading historians from Bergamo and Politecnico di Milano will explain the buildings (with English translation!), and live musical performances will highlight the beauty of modernist architecture.

Registrations are open until May 24th on Eventbrite, offering an opportunity to be part of this extraordinary night of exploration. The ticket also includes a promocode for a free bike in local BiGi bike sharing program.

Velonotte Bergamo is the 37th event of the VeloNotte International project founded and curated by architecture historian and educator Dr. Sergey Nikitin-Rimsky. Among various events, we can remind Velonotte Workshop Nova Gorica/Gorizia (2024), Velonotte Bauhaus100 in Berlin (2019), Velonotte London Olimpica (2012) with comments of Richard Rogers and Peter Ackroyd, and Velonotte Roma Contemporanea (Roma, 2010) with Jean-Louis Cohen and Pier-Ostilio Rossi.

The project is co-organized by VeloNotte International with Bergamo City Council, Bergamo Architects Foundation, Bergamo Order of Architects Planners Landscape Conservators, Festival of Sustainability, A.Ri.Bi. Association, OpenArch Association and Architectuul.