Pontida: Monastery, Memorial Trails and Culture

Pontida combines spiritual history, memorial trails and landscape into a destination with several distinct points of interest. The Monastero di San Giacomo represents a Cluniac priory, the Sentiero 897 leads through woodland and small stream valleys, and the Sentiero XXIII follows the childhood route of the future Pope John XXIII. If you do not want to consider culture and nature separately, you will find points of connection for both here.

Monastery and spiritual history

The Monastero di San Giacomo in Pontida was founded in 1076 on the initiative of Alberto da Prezzate as a Cluniac priory. Its early foundation gives the place a clear historical and spiritual connection. The Monastero is also a destination for tourists who, accompanied by monks, can discover its artistic beauty and the spiritual significance preserved within it. If you are interested in religious history and art, the Monastero offers a historical, spiritual and artistic point of reference.

The area’s sacred character also includes other independent architectural histories. The church of the Santuario della Beata Vergine Addolorata was built in 1683 on the remains of an earlier Tribulina. In Odiago, the present-day Chiesa di San Giorgio was built in 1914 according to a design by the engineer Dante Fornoni. For a journey with an interest in architecture and history, these two buildings provide access to the area’s sacred culture from two different periods.

Trails between landscape and memory

The Sentiero 897 begins beside the cemetery of Pontida. It leads into the woodland and shortly afterwards crosses two small stream valleys located close to each other. The trail therefore has a clear landscape-based course that is connected to Pontida from the starting point. If you would like to take natural features into account alongside cultural sites when planning your day, this Sentiero offers its own thematic focus.

The Sentiero XXIII follows the route that the young Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII, took during his childhood to the college of Celana in Caprino Bergamasco and then on to San Gregorio in Cisano Bergamasco. Seven memorial stones stand along the Sentiero XXIII, marking stages of the route in memory of Pope John XXIII’s passage. The trail thus combines a biographical connection with visible memorial markers.

Places to visit around Pontida

The area immediately surrounding Pontida also broadens the range of travel destinations. Monte Canto, a mountain, lies nearby. Castello Dell'Innominato, a castle, is also located in the area around Pontida. The Museo di Scienze Naturali e. Caffi, a museum, is likewise situated nearby. This gives you a selection of landscapes, architectural heritage and natural history, without limiting Pontida to just one facet.

A spiritually oriented accommodation option

A special accommodation option is located within the Monastero itself. The guesthouse of the Monastero di San Giacomo accommodates men travelling alone; the spiritual centre can also accommodate mixed groups who wish to stay in an atmosphere of prayer, silence and retreat. The accommodation aspect is therefore closely connected to the Monastero’s spiritual orientation. When planning your trip, it is worth comparing this different form of accommodation with your reason for travelling and the atmosphere you desire.

Discover more destinations

If you would like to add more places to your trip through Italy, you can find additional destinations here: Colognola, Tavernola Bergamasca, Treviolo, Foresto Sparso, Selino Basso, Urgnano, Treviglio, Stalettì.

To the main travel overview: Bergamo.