Bergamo, 28 January 2019 - A new light for the Walls of Upper Bergamo: the Municipality of Bergamo and A2A have approved a work to completely replace the light fittings that highlight the ramparts of the Venetian walls, an intervention that will begin in April and is aimed at making the city’s UNESCO World Heritage even more beautiful.
The value of the intervention is around a million euro and it is the continuation of the public lighting renewal plan launched in 2016 by the Municipality with the replacement of nearly 15,000 lamps in Lower Bergamo.
There were tangible benefits for the city and its inhabitants right from the first intervention: not only savings of 350,000 euros a year but also 1,600 tons of CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere every year, a significant contribution to complying with the Kyoto 2020 targets. Every year, 7 hundredweight less waste is produced from electrical and electronic equipment (due to the greater reliability and duration of the new lamps, with 5,000 fewer lamps needing replacement) and the reduction to zero of mercury or potentially polluting substances that can still be found in previous lamps used for public lighting.
“When we showed the new LED lights that were to light Lower Bergamo,” underlined the Mayor of Bergamo, Giorgio Gori, “we explained that, for our historic centre, an ad hoc public lighting project would be necessary, agreed with the Superintendency. That’s exactly what we did. Our intention has always been to enhance, in the best way possible, the heritage of our city, the Venetian Walls that in 2017 were included on the list of World Heritage sites together with another five cities of the Most Serene Republic. In recent years, various actions have been undertaken to preserve and enhance the Walls: from the cleaning of the whole wall, thanks to the signing of an agreement with the volunteers of the Associazione Orobicambiente, to the extraordinary maintenance work on the parapets, the layout of the Valverde rampart and the restoration of the San Lorenzo viaduct. With this project, we are adding an important element to the enhancement works of the walls, making them even more beautiful and visible from every direction. ”
“This agreement,” said the Director of Public Works, Marco Brembilla, “which followed the first agreement with A2A that made possible the replacement of 14,960 light points in the Lower Town, is a further step in improving the lighting of the Walls and entrance gates to the Upper Town, enhancing their history and beauty. They are no longer dark or poorly lit gates, now LED lights emphasise their beauty. The same is true of the Walls, where the ramparts and currently hidden stretches will be highlighted. The next step will be to light some important historical monuments that are invisible in the evenings. An important step in enhancing our heritage, at a limited cost and with results that will soon be seen.”
A2A’s Chief Executive Office, Valerio Camerano, made clear: “The redevelopment of the lighting of the complex of the Venetian walls comes in the wake of the artistic and monumental lighting projects developed by our Group and it continues to bring to fruition the plan started some years ago in Bergamo that led to the replacement of around 15,000 light points in the city with new LED equipment. The priority aim is to enhance and restore to full use at night of one of the symbols of Bergamo, included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites, providing citizens and those who visit with a new way of experiencing the city that can enhance the overall elements and the details. The project will make it possible to light the walls and the Upper Town’s four entrance gates in a diffuse, accurate way with greater energy efficiency, restoring full harmony and a clear view of the sites in all their beauty and complexity."
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Fabrizio Orlandi
A2A S.p.a.
Local Institutional Relations Manager
Brescia and Bergamo Area
Via Lamarmora, 230 – 25124 Brescia
T [+39] 030 3554990
335 6860345
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