The castle-fortress of the Holy Angel attracts with its brutality and history. It was first a tomb, then a castle, the residence of the popes and at the same time a depository of their values and a prison. Today it is a museum. And from the observation deck of the castle offers a stunning panorama of the city.
Castle of the Holy Angel (Castel Sant 'Angelo)
Castle of the Holy Angel (Castel Sant 'Angelo) - a romantic and mysterious place. Few buildings have survived so many events in their lifetime. This building was a fortress and a prison, a papal residence and a repository of Catholic values. Originally Castel Sant'Angelo served as the tomb. It was then called the Mausoleum of Hadrian (Mausoleo di Adriano).
From the imperial tomb to the Castle of the Holy Angel
In 135, the emperor Hadrian, inspired by the grandiose mausoleum of Augustus, began the construction of his own mausoleum. This structure has been preserved, however, according to today's appearance it is difficult to judge its former splendor. The square building with massive walls of impressive thickness was crowned with a high tower, decorated with columns and many statues. On the tower of the mausoleum stood a bronze quadriga - the figure of Hadrian in the chariot of Helios. The powerful walls of the building were lined with Carrara marble. Adrian is dead. It was necessary to complete the construction of Antonino Pius in 139.
Many Roman emperors rested in the mausoleum. Their names are carved on the frieze of the building: Adrian and his wife, Sabina; Antonino Pius, his wife Faustina and all their children; Marcus Aurelius with children; Septimius Severus and his family, emperors Septimius Geta and Septimius Bassian Caracalla (217). After this, the rulers were no longer buried here.
Fortress
The fate of the mausoleum did not end with the history of the tomb. The history of the castle continued on. In the IV century, the mausoleum was fortified, reconstructed and included in the complex of barrier walls protecting the city from the outside. But in 410, the Visigoths captured and ruined the fortress. Later, the Vatican seized the little that was left of it.
The castle received the current name of the Holy Angel back in 590. Rome was then gripped by a monstrous plague epidemic. Pope Gregory the Great that year had a vision of the Archangel Michael, who promised the end of the disaster. The plague did retreat, and the figure of an angel has since been erected on the mausoleum. The first statue was carved from wood. In the XIV century it was replaced by a marble one, and in the XV century it was decided to replace it with a marble one with bronze wings. This sculpture was broken by lightning. The next version of the statue - a bronze angel was melted into guns.
Angel Courtyard
Rafael da Montelupo in the XVI century sculpted a new angel. Partially, the figure consisted of marble, its wings were bronze. However, this statue was dismantled and taken away into the courtyard (the courtyard was then called the Courtyard of the Angel). Now the castle is dominated by a bronze angel by Pierre Van Vershavelt (1753).
Former residence of the pope
In the Middle Ages, the former mausoleum served as the residence of the pope. Castel Sant'Angelo fortress had to hide the pontiffs from enemies and popular anger. Dad escaped from the Vatican through a gallery going straight to the castle. The high gallery was erected during the time of Pope Nicholas III. A harnessed cart drove freely through the secret passage. Dads made the castle an impregnable fortress. In 1527, Clement VII took refuge here when the royal troops of Charles V. entered Rome.
Beyond the walls of the fortress
The lower tier and dungeons of the castle have long been used as a prison. Here the enemies of the Pope languished and many prisoners of the Inquisition: Giordano Bruno and Galileo, Pomponio Leto and Platinum, Count Cagliostro and Benvenuto Cellini. The latter even created the drawing "Christ is risen" on the wall of the casemate. The work of the master has been preserved.
Giacomo Puccini transferred the third action of "Tosca" to one of the rooms of the castle of Angela. The action takes place within the walls of the prison, and after the beautiful heroine rushes down from the upper terrace of the castle.
Bridge of the Holy Angel
Bridge of the Holy Angel
Since Adrian, a bridge over the Tiber led to the mausoleum. This bridge is called Ponte Sant'Angelo (St. Angel's Bridge), and during the Roman Wall it was called Elio Bridge. In the XVI - XVII centuries. on the bridge, according to the decree of the pope of the Vatican, statues of angels and saints were installed. Today, Sant'Angelo Bridge, along with the adjoining promenade, has become a favorite destination for photographers, artists and traders.
Castle of the Holy Angel today
Gallery
In 1825, the heavy bronze front doors leading to the tomb of the castle were removed. A corridor opened, passing from the entrance to a large niche. From it begins a spiral gallery, enveloping the building inside and leading to the very top of the castle.
Sant'Angelo Castle is a tall cylindrical building in Adriano Park on the banks of the Tiber, sometimes called Sad Castle. In addition to the Spiral-shaped gallery and the courtyard of the Angel, the castle houses the Hall of Justice (Sala della Giustizia), where court hearings were held in the 16th century. And also - papal apartments, Clement VII hall, Clement VIII halls, Paul III loggia and Paul IV loggia, Alexander VI courtyard, prison, library, Treasure hall, Secret archive.
Museum
Today the castle houses a museum. The exhibition presents the key moments of the ancient Roman history and the history of the castle; art collections. Tourists can climb the upper terrace to enjoy the panorama of the Eternal City.
Holy angel
View from the observation deck
Museum Hours
Daily from 9:00 to 19:30.
Tickets
Full - € 10;
preferential - € 5.
Entrance to the museum on the first Sunday of every month is free.
How to get there
Take line A metro to Lepanto or Ottaviano-San Pietro;
by bus: 23, 40, 62, 271, 982, 280 - to the stop Piazza Pia;
34 - to the stop Porta Castello;
49.87,926,990 - to the intersection of Piazza Cavour and via Crescenzio;
46.64 - to Santo Spirito.
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