Bergamo, Sant'Alessandro in Colonna, Bergamo

The church of S. Alessandro in Colonna is named after the column located on the churchyard in front of the Basilica, which bears witness to the demolition of the cathedral dedicated to St Alexander in the 4th century. The column is a dozen metres high and indicates the place in which the martyrdom of St Alexander allegedly occurred. St Alexander is Bergamo’s patron saint.
The church collapsed in the 15th century and was rebuilt in 1447. Only in early 18th century did it take its current structure. The bell tower was built much more recently; it was begun in 1842 and completed in the 20th century. The church interior features a single, Latin-cross nave with eight side chapels and a transept surmounted by a round dome. The high altar is a work by G. Quarenghi. The church is also important because it preserves many works of art, located in the chapels and in the three sacristies.