Imperial Mausoleum Turned Museum – Castel Sant’Angelo

Written/Compiled by Liu Jiawen | Source: Monochrome Editing Team

The top of Castel Sant’Angelo gets its name from the massive bronze angel statue perched there. Originally built in 139 AD as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, it later transformed into a castle and prison during the Middle Ages, and even served as the residence of popes. Today, it is a museum with 58 rooms. In his villa at Tivoli, Hadrian showcased his appreciation for Hellenistic architecture, but when constructing his mausoleum, he returned to the pure style of ancient Rome. Hadrian chose the right bank of the Tiber River for the mausoleum’s location, primarily to face the tomb of Emperor Agrippa on the left bank, with the two connected by the Pons Aelius (Ponte Elio).

Castel Sant’Angelo’s connections extend beyond that. As it once served as a refuge and even a place of papal imprisonment, a secret passage called the Passetto was built between the castle and Vatican City in 1277 to ensure the safe transit of popes. The castle courtyard, once an arsenal for weapons and ammunition, is now decorated with stacked stone cannonballs. The treasure room is said to be Hadrian’s original burial chamber. In fact, as a royal mausoleum, the castle preserved the remains of emperors from Hadrian to Caracalla.

Today, Castel Sant’Angelo mainly functions as a museum, displaying significant defensive weapons and documents from the castle’s history. The various rooms inside, from papal apartments to prison cells, are open to the public. Highlights include the frescoes in the Apollo Room, the Pope Leo X Chapel adorned with Renaissance sculptures, the Pope Clemente VII Room featuring masterpieces by artists such as G. Romano, and other papal residences showcasing remarkable artworks. Castel Sant’Angelo faces the Tiber River, and the bridge over it—Ponte Sant’Angelo—is regarded as the most beautiful bridge on the Tiber. Twelve statues, including those of St. Peter, St. Paul, and the Holy Angels, stand at each end of the bridge, each with vivid, lifelike expressions.

Travel Information

Address: Lungotevere Castello 50

Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 9:00 AM–6:30 PM