Castel Sant'Angelo

The construction of Castel Sant'Angelo began during Emperor Hadrian's lifetime under the direction of architect Demetrianus and was completed in 139 under Antoninus Pius. It served as a burial place for Hadrian and his successors, including Antoninus Pius, Lucius Verus, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Septimius Severus, and Caracalla. In the 6th century, the Gothic king Totila recognized the strategic importance of the structure and used it as a stronghold. From the 10th century onwards, Castel Sant'Angelo was owned by the popes and served as a refuge in times of danger, connected to the Vatican by the Passetto di Borgo. In the 15th century, it was expanded into a fortress under Popes Alexander VI and Nicholas V and housed magnificent papal apartments. Castel Sant'Angelo also served as a prison for famous figures such as Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei. It received its current name in 590 when Pope Gregory I the Great saw an apparition of the Archangel Michael, who announced the end of a plague. Since 1906, Castel Sant'Angelo has been a museum.

Castel Sant'Angelo is located in Rome, in the Lazio region of Italy, at an elevation of approximately 15 meters above sea level.

Today, visitors can explore Castel Sant'Angelo as a museum. It houses a variety of exhibitions on the history of the building, as well as weapons, furniture, and everyday objects. The papal apartments and the impressive architecture are also accessible.

• Ponte Sant'Angelo (Angel Bridge) (Ancient Structures), approx. 0.1 km away
• Obelisco Agonale (Ancient Structures), approx. 0.7 km away
• Pantheon (Ancient Structures), approx. 1.0 km away
• Saepta Julia (Ancient Structures), approx. 1.1 km away