Welcome to the beautiful Castel Sant'Angelo, also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian.
The latter name derives from its creator; the roman emperor Hadrian.
Exactly how the mausoleum used to look like during its peak is hard to say, as its original
design is still uncertain.
However, a report from the 6th century which describes the building has made historians
believe that only the Colosseum surpassed it in splendor.
The construction of this great building started in year 135 AD and finished just 4 years later.
This also included the magnificent bridge in front of the castle; excluding the angels
which were added later.
Hadrian never got to see his mausoleum completely finished, as he died one year before its completion.
The emperor's ashes were placed in the mausoleum, together with those of his wife and his first
adopted son who died at young age.
The mausoleum became a resting place for not only Hadrian, but also several of his successors.
The last one to be interred in the building was Emperor Caracalla in year 217 AD.
While the original structural design of the mausoleum is uncertain, historians believe
it was composed of a square base with a large cylindrical body, crowned by a statue of Hadrian
in a chariot.
However, as you can see today, the Castel Sant'Angelo neither consists of only a cylindrical
body, nor does it have a chariot statue at the top.
This is due to the fact that the building has been serving several purposes throughout
its history.
This has in turn which has lead to several expansions of the building.
The first change took place when the mausoleum was turned into a fortress during the decline
of the Roman Empire.
The fortress could however not stop the barbaric invasions and the sacking of Rome in the early
5th century.
Unfortunately, the sacking meant that the majority of the mausoleum decorations were
stolen and much of the tomb content became scattered.
The mausoleum took further damage when Rome was sacked once again in the 6th century.
Up until the Middle Ages, Castel Sant'Angelo was owned by various Roman families until
the Papal state acquired the fortress in 1377.
The Vatican saw great potential in the old fortress, as it was strategically located
at the northern entrance to Rome, close to both the Vatican City and the Tiber River.
It didn't take long for Pope Nicolas the 3rd to convert it into a proper castle.
The pope also connected the castle to St Peter's Basilica with an elevated passage.
The passage is known as Passetto di Borgo and still exists today.
If you look at the west side of the castle, you will see this wall-like structure which
leads all the way to Vatican City.
The fortified passage is on top of this wall and allowed for a quick and secure passage
between the two buildings, in case of an emergency.
The Papal state did not only use this structure as a castle, but also as a prison where many
noted Italians have been imprisoned.
Several executions took place in the small inner square and sometimes the mutilated bodies
were displayed on the bridge in front of the castle in deterring purposes.
Throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, Castel Sant'Angelo kept serving as a military
fortification.
In order to adapt to the use of new fire weapons, several expansions took place.
The bastions you can see in each corner dates back to this period and was meant to house
artillery for defensive purposes.
The walls were also surrounded with a moat filled with water from the river Tiber.
If you look at the top of the castle, you can see a large statue.
The statue was also added during the Renaissance and depicts an angel.
The angel honors an old legend which has given the castle its current name.
The legend holds that the Archangel Michael appeared atop the mausoleum in year 590.
After he appeared, he sheathed his sword as a sign that the plague which had tormented
Rome finally had come to an end.
The original statue was made in marble, but was later replaced with the bronze replica
you can see today.
The original statue can however still be found at the open court inside the castle.
The castle really only lost its military function in 1925, when it was renovated and began to
serve as a national museum, which it still does today.
While the museum is certainly worth a visit, you should definitely explore Castel Sant'Angelo
itself.
The many different roles the castle has played are all here for you to discover; all the
way from the funeral passage of Hadrian to the beautifully-frescoed interiors from the
Papal expansions as well as the defensive battlements of the Renaissance.
Also, don't miss the chance to explore the top of the castle.
It will give you a great view over Rome in general and the St Peter's Dome in particular.