Here is the list of places to visit near Castel Sant'Angelo:
1. Palazzo di Giustizia
Located at a distance of just 1 kilometer from Castel Sant’Angelo, Palazzo di Giustizia is counted among the more important modern architectures of Rome. Constructed between the years 1889 and 1911 by Guglielmo Calderini, this majestic structure shelters the country’s Supreme Court. Palazzo di Giustizia is mainly visited by architectural enthusiasts, who come here to marvel at the Baroque architecture of the structure from the outside as public entry into the building is not permitted.
2. St. Angelo Bridge
Lying at an approximate distance of around 8 kilometers from Castel Sant’Angelo, St. Angelo Bridge was built by emperor Hadrian for connecting Campus Maritus to his mausoleum. Supported on 7 meters high piers, the bridge consists of 5 major spans and 7 stone arches. In the sixteenth century, the figurines of Saint Paul and Saint Peter were positioned at the bridge’s end point, by Pope Clement VII. In the year 1688, 10 figurines of angels, constructed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, were also positioned on the bridge’s parapets.
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3. St. Peter’s Basilica
The construction began in the year 1506 by Pope Julius II and was finished in the year 1615 by Paul V, St. Peter’s Basilica lies at a distance of 140 meters from Castel Sant’Angelo. This magnificent church is built as a 3-aisled cross with an enormous dome positioned at the point of crossing. This important pilgrimage site of Rome happened to be the world’s largest church until the year 1989 when a new church built in Yamoussoukro exceeded its size.
4. Sistine Chapel
Situated around 1.4 kilometers from Castel Sant’Angelo, Sistine Chapel was built by Giovanni dei Dolci in the year 1473-81 under Pope Sixtus IV. This chapel happens to be the site for the important papal ceremonies. It is also used for the election of new popes by the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever there’s a vacancy.
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History of Castel Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant’Angelo was built under the Roman emperor Hadrian between 123 to 139 AD. This building was supposed to serve as a tomb for Hadrian himself as well as his successors and family. After the death of Hadrian in 138 AD, his remains were put here, along with the ashes of his son and wife who also breathed their last in the same year. After this, the remains of all the succeeding Roman emperors were buried in this mausoleum until Emperor Caracalla, who died in 217 AD.
Later, the structure was transformed into a majestic fortress in the fifth century. Further, the fortified walls of the building, its strategic location along river Tiber’s bank, and its proximate distance to Vatican City allowed the papacy to acquire it and take refuge inside it during an emergency. Pope Nicholas III, in the year 1277, got the fortress connected with Vatican City through a corridor known as Passetto di Borgo. This passage then started being used as an excellent escape path from Vatican City to the fortress in times of danger.
Apart from that, Castel Sant’Angelo has also served as a jail during the middle ages. The courtyard of the castle has witnessed a huge number of burnings and executions of prisoners. During their stay at the castle, the prisoners were tortured terribly and sometimes even starved to death.
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Architecture of Castel Sant'Angel
The enthralling architecture of Castel Sant’Angelo is definitely a thing to marvel at. Access to this amazing museum takes you up the spiral ramp of 400 meters inside the castle. This ramp leads the visitors to the classic imperial tomb that is basically a tiny square room, which is believed to have sheltered Emperor Hadrian’s ash containing urns. Constructed in 6 levels, the castle has 58 rooms, most of which are now on display to the visitors. The castle has been beautifully decorated with appealing artwork, the majority of which are borrowed from the enchanting collections of Contini Bonacossi and Mario Menotti.
The castle makes for a nice labyrinth consisting of numerous courtyards, frescoed rooms, and stately halls. Upon ascending through the towering castle, the visitors will ultimately arrive at the final narrow stairway, which will take them to the 6th level followed by the amazing rooftop. The rooftop has a small cafe where the visitors can have some quick snacks while enjoying the mesmerizing views of the city.
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Hadrian's Mausoleum
Castel Sant’Angelo was initially constructed by the Roman Emperor Hadrian to serve as a mausoleum. This building formed the tomb for Hadrian as well as his successors and sheltered their remains. The design and architecture of Hadrian’s mausoleum was actually inspired by the engineering of Augustus Mausoleum, which had been constructed a century before.
The construction work for Hadrian’s mausoleum began in 123 AD under the emperor himself and was completed in 139 AD, under Antoninus Pius, the successor of Hadrian.
The mausoleum had a 292 feet wide square base atop which a 64 meters wide cylindrical colonnaded drum was built. This drum was completely covered with a tumulus atop which a figurine of Hadrian riding a chariot rested.
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Papal Refuge
During the development of the Aurelian Wall between 270 AD and 275 AD, Hadrian’s mausoleum got fortified. By this time, the mausoleum had been renamed as Castel Sant’Angelo and from this point onwards the building was gradually converted into a fort.
In the year 1277, this fortress was taken up by the papacy and the pope used the structure as a strong refuge when in danger.
Castel Sant’Angelo was connected to Vatican City by a secret bridge called Passetto di Borgo. Pope Clement VII along with his Swiss Guards used this passage for hiding and protecting themselves from the army of Charles de Bourbon in 1527.
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Tips for visiting Castel Sant'Angelo
- If you want to experience Castel Sant’Angelo without the crowd, plan your visit to the place early in the morning.
- If you are planning to visit Castel Sant’Angelo during the summer season, pay a visit to the place right before sunset in order to witness the spectacular sunset sight from the rooftop terrace.
- Avoid visiting the castle on the month’s first Sunday. The place is almost brimming with visitors as there is no entry fee for visiting Castel Sant’Angelo on this day.
- Wear light cotton clothes and comfortable footwear as you will need to do a lot of walking.
- Walk down the pedestrian bridge over the Tiber River and enjoy the breathtaking sights of the castle from the outside as well as the surrounding city.
- Book your tickets to the Castel Sant'Angelo online as the queues at the physical counters tend to get very long.
- The best way to visit is by metro as the castle lies only a short distance from the Lopiano or Ottaviano station.
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