Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome, Italy

Castel Sant’Angelo (the Mausoleum of Hadrian) stands on the right bank of the Tiber, between the city centre and the Vatican. It was built in 134–139 AD as the tomb of Emperor Hadrian and his family, and later became part of the city walls, a papal fortress, a prison and a residence. Its name comes from the legend that in 590 Pope Gregory the Great saw the Archangel Michael on top of the building sheathing his sword as a sign that a plague was over; a bronze statue of the angel (1753) still crowns the castle. The Passetto di Borgo, a fortified corridor about 800 m long, links it to the Vatican, and in 1527, during the Sack of Rome, Pope Clement VII fled along it to safety.

Today the castle is the National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo. A spiral ramp from Roman times leads up through the old tomb to the papal apartments with Renaissance frescoes, prison cells, collections of arms and, at the top, the Terrace of the Angel with one of the finest views of Rome and St. Peter’s. In front of the castle, the Ponte Sant’Angelo crosses the Tiber, lined with ten angel statues made to Bernini’s designs.

Key points:

• Built: 134–139 AD as the Mausoleum of Hadrian.
• Tickets: €18 (from July 2026); on the first Monday of the month 14:00–20:00, €5.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00–19:30, last entry 18:30; closed on Mondays.
• Nearby: Ponte Sant’Angelo, St. Peter’s Square, Piazza Navona.