Castel Sant’Angelo

Castel Sant’Angelo: historical notes, anecdotes and curiosities
Castel Sant’Angelo, also known as Mole Adrianorum, Castellum Crescentii or Mausoleo di Adriano, is one of the most important monuments in the city of Rome. It owes its name to the bronze statue of the archangel Michael that is still visible on the top.
This building was built under the direction of Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 125. He planned to build a funeral monument that would have been used for his and his sons’ burial. In fact, the building was initially inspired by the famous Mausoleum of Augustus. However, contrary to Hadrian’s plans, Castel Sant’Angelo was finished in A.D. 139 by the Emperor Antonio Pio and, in A.D. 271, was incorporated into the so-called Aurelian walls. Even though, in the initial project this building had a structure quite different from the current one, Castel Sant’Angelo can be considered as a real fortress. With the Emperor Aureliano, the building assumed the appearance of a real castle and only later, when in 1277 it became part of the possessions of the Vatican, the papal apartments were added. In addition to the historical events that interested it, Castel Sant’Angelo is quite famous for the anecdote that relates it to Tosca by the well-known composer Puccini. The woman, in fact, found her death throwing herself from the building that today has become the museum of Castel Sant’Angelo.

Every day from 09.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.
Closed January 1, May 1 and December 25, except for special openings arranged by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism which will be announced on the website.

If you want to visit Castel Sant’Angelo you can easily reach this charming building from anywhere in the city. In particular, if you are already in the immediate vicinity, it will be sufficient to go along Ponte Sant’Angelo, which is known for the sculptures of Bernini’s angels made in the 17th century. Being in the vicinity of St. Peter’s Basilica, and therefore of the Vatican, it is possible to go there on foot along Via della Conciliazione. Other points of historical interest in the city of Rome including the Ara Pacis, the Mausoleum of Augustus and the famous Piazza Navona are not far from Castel Sant’Angelo.
If you want to get to Castel Sant’Angelo by public transport the nearest metro stations are Lepanto and Ottaviano which are about 1 km from the attraction. If, on the other hand, the starting point is the Colosseum, take the bus n. 40 from Via Nazionale (National / Quirinal stop) and get off at the stop (Trasportina / Conciliazione) which is 350 meters from Castel Sant’Angelo. Otherwise you could get the metro at Colosseo Metro Station, change lines at Termini and get off at Ottaviano Metro Station or Lepanto Metro Station and then continue on foot.
On the other hand, if the starting point is Termini station you can take bus n. 40 at Termini stop and get off at Trasportina / Conciliazione stop, a few hundred meters from the entrance to the castle. The latter, in fact, is the nearest public transport stop to Castel Sant’Angelo and therefore is also the most convenient to reach it.

St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel