Castel Sant’Angelo, also called Hadrianeum, was originally built as a mausoleum of the Roman emperor Hadrian and became the burial place of the Antonine emperors until Caracalla.The tomb followed traditional Etruscan models, a squat cylinder on a rectangular base, but it is so much bigger that it is tempting to compare it with Egyptian pyramids.

Castel Sant’Angelo was transformed into a fortress to be used by the nearby Vatican, and is linked to it by a fortified passageway known as “il passetto”. It housed papal treasures, food stores in case of famine and served as a prison.
Since 1904 it’s operated as a museum offering an insight into its rich history.
It currently contains an important collection of ancient weapons.

From the terrace, where the bronze statue of the archangel Michael stands, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the entire city. The statue is a work by Pieter Antoon Verchaffelt, who did it to recall the vision of pope Gregory the Great on the occasion of the end of the plague in Rome in 590. Opposite the castle is the bridge of Sant’Angelo, one of the most dramatic complexes of baroque Rome with a series of ten statues representing angels carrying the symbols of the Passion, an idea by Bernini completed by its pupils.

The tour carries on with a stroll along the passetto, which has been recently restored.