The Bergamasque Alps are situated in Lombardy, Italy, and between it and the adjacent Prealps Range, there are 894 named mountains. They range between eight and ten thousand feet, and are penetrated by two long valleys.  The area has been described as an enchanting area where the ruggedness associated with the Alps is juxtaposed with green and wooded valleys, but we like the description we found on one site better: It is “where the sweetness of nature alternates with the wild spirit typical of the Alps.”

We have found several sources stating that the Bergamasco breed was named after the Bergamasque Alps, but that’s incorrect. The Bergamasque Alps were named after the town of Bergamo (from berg-heim, or hill-town), and it is for this city that the breed is named.

Bergamo has ancient origins. Some say the area may been settled by the Celts, others believe that migrating people from as far away as Iran came in search of new pastures. Either way, the Romans arrived in 49 BC, and when Julius Caesar granted the status of municipium to the town, it began the slow “Romanization” of the city. Bergamo was probably known at the time by its Latin name, Bergomum.

For centuries, the dogs who came with early settlers lived and worked in and around Bergamo. As we’re keen to get to the point, we skip over the bad years of WWII when the Bergamasco in danger of becoming extinct. In 1949, the Society of Bergamasco Dog Lovers (Societa Amatori del Cane da Pastore Bergamasco) was formed, and a campaign was launched to educate people about the breed.  In 1956, the Society was recognized by the Italian National Dog Club, and for reasons we never found, alternative names for the breed were proposed. They included sheepdog from northern Italy (Cane da Pastore dell’Italia Settentrionale), sheepdog from north Italia (Cane da Pastore del Nord Italia) and the Alpine Sheepdog (Cane da Pastore Delle Alpi).

In the end, the name Bergamasco Shepherd (Cane da Pastore Bergamasco) was kept for the logical reason that it was the most descriptive name. Though the dogs could be found throughout the area, the majority of them were in the Bergamasco Valley which is also where they also showed the most uniform characteristics.

Image: Bergamasco by Dan Pearce may be purchased as a print, and as lifestyle and home decor items here.