CONTI MORONI

The Moroni Family

The earliest historical references to the Moroni family date back to the 13th century, when they moved from the Seriana Valley to Bergamo. They built a palace on Corsarola, in the San Pancrazio district, where their coat of arms can still be seen above a portal today. At the beginning of the 17th century, having by then achieved significant economic status, Francesco Moroni purchased land in Porta Penta, now known as Via Porta Dipinta. He commissioned the construction of Palazzo Moroni, where he invited the Cremasco painter Gian Giacomo Barbelli to fresco the grand staircase. Among allegories and cartouches, mottos were inserted that are still visible today, testifying to the importance the family had attained. Today, Palazzo Moroni is considered the most important Baroque palace in Bergamo. It has recently been entrusted to the careful stewardship of FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano, which has transformed it into a cultural tourism destination, showcasing its numerous halls enriched by the treasures collected by the family over the centuries.

At the same time, in the 17th century, Francesco began enlarging for the first time the "patrone" residence that had previously been built by the Moroni family in Stezzano. Even in this case, the house no longer adequately reflected the status the family had achieved or the scale of the agricultural estate, which at the time included lands stretching between Bergamo and Stezzano. In those days, the countryside was covered with mulberry trees, and silkworm farming generated the wealth that sustained the palaces directly connected to it, which were expanded and embellished as agricultural holdings increased.

Subsequently, the building was renovated once again in the early 19th century in the Empire style by architect Giacomo Bianconi, at the request of Pietro Moroni, then Podestà (chief magistrate) of Bergamo. The Villa in Stezzano remains the property of the Moroni family to this day, and its halls, together with its 40,000-square-meter park, have become an important venue for private and corporate events. Over the centuries, members of the Moroni family have played significant roles in the history of Bergamo and Lombardy, founding important cultural and social institutions in the city and the surrounding region, and distinguishing themselves in various fields such as politics, art, literature, and business. The Moroni family also owned several agricultural estates in the Bergamo area and in the province of Milan. Among their economic activities, wine production has always held a prominent place, now concentrated in the historic Valmarina estate, located in the municipality of Bergamo and surrounding the medieval monastery that has become the headquarters of the Consorzio Parco dei Colli di Bergamo. The Valmarina estate represents both a historical legacy and an ongoing commitment to the restoration of ancient vineyards that overlook the city of Bergamo, ensuring a close connection to nature and ecological sustainability.