Some would call the Italian city of Bergamo a masterpiece.
A small city – at least when compared to the much larger nearby Milan, Bergamo is located in the Italian state of Lombardy and has a population of nearly 120,000 citizens.
Located near the picturesque Lake Como it is a city marked by the town’s architecture and layers..
Bergamo’s city-scape is divided into two centers, the upper and older città alta, and the lower and more modern città bassa.
While it is possible to catch a glimpse of some of the smaller football clubs Bergamo has there is really only one football club in Bergamo hunting for trophies.
The Beginnings
A football club has existed in Bergamo since 1903; the ‘Foot Ball Club Bergamo’ being a forerunner of the current team. The present club was founded in 1907 by five Swiss Italian founding fathers who came together at a restaurant in the city and formed a club.
The club name is taken from the female athlete of Greek mythology ‘Atalanta’ a virgin huntress who was said to be unwilling to marry but eager to be loved by a hero.
The current club are a result of a merger between Atalanta and a third team called Bergamasca thus giving the club the full name Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio.
Atalanta moved to the site of the current ground on the Viale Giulio Cesare in 1928. At its official inauguration the stadium hosted 14,000 spectators.
By the 1970’s the stadium was noted for its curva where the most passionate fans would congregate.
Achille Bortolotti, a patron of Atalanta and head of an important oil company, was the man to finance the completion of the curva nord. It become famous as the home of the most loyal fans.
In the 1990’s more investment was made on the inner city stadium and this led to the redevelopment of the Viale Giulio Cesare Tribune.
In 1994 the stadium was renamed the “Atleti Azzurri d ‘Italia”.
With consistent qualification for the later stages of European competitions the stadium has come in for criticism from both the media and fans.
The stadium has undergone a series of renovations since 2010 due to legacy exterior and interior features that were seen as outdated compared to most European standards. Given the open uncovered conditions UEFA decided that the stadium was not fit for Europa League football in 2018-19.
This resulted in Atalanta having to play UEFA Group Stage fixtures in Reggio-Emilia.
Atalanta officially acquired ownership of the stadium on 8th August 2017 when they completed a €8.6 million deal with the city government.
On 30 April 2019, the most significant phase of renovation began with the demolition of the Curva Nord which had been previously been renamed the Federico Pisani North Stand.
The wider planned renovations are expected to be completed by 2024, and will cost around €40 million in total.
On 1 July 2019 the Bergamo stadium officially became the Gewiss Stadium.
A regional club lacking in the arrogance of some of Italian football’s bigger names, Atalanta are regarded as a regional powerhouse. This reputation has been enhanced thanks to qualification for the UEFA Champions League last 32 in 2019.
Amongst the famous names to have played for the club include Filippo Inzaghi, Christian Vieri, Glenn Strömberg, Demitrio Albertini, Alemeo, Claudio Caniggia and a young Gaetano Scirea.
However none of those players managed to reach any of the heights the current squad have reached thanks to the astute management of Gian Piero Gasperini.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio – Founded 7th October 1907
Atleti Azzurri d’Italia – Gewiss Stadium
Coppa Italia Winners: 1963
Coppa Italia Runners Up: 2018-019, 2024
Serie B Winners: 2011
Europa League Winners: 2024