Castel Sant'Angelo virtual tour

Ten angels since 1668

Hadrian had the Pons Aelius built to link the city to the entrance of his mausoleum. In 1668 it gained ten angels with the symbols of the Passion, designed by Bernini and carved by his pupils.

12 m long, facing the bridge

Funeral processions entered the tomb by the Dromos, a high vaulted corridor 12 m long in line with the bridge. A large niche at the end of the Atrium once held a colossal statue of Hadrian; only its head survives.

Photo: "Mausoleum of Hadrian, Rome" by Carole Raddato (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Rises 12 m

The spiral ramp climbs 12 m inside the mausoleum; it is 3 m wide, about 6 m high and lined with fine brickwork. Built for the funeral procession, it was buried for defence from the 6th century and reopened in the 1800s.

About 8 m square

The burial chamber kept the remains of the imperial family until the time of Caracalla, in 217 AD. A plaque bears the lines Hadrian is said to have written to his soul; an 1825 bridge by Valadier crosses it.

Photo: "Castel Sant'Angelo treasury room 02" by MatthiasKabel (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Marble angel of 1544

At its centre stands the marble Saint Michael carved by Raffaello da Montelupo in 1544. It stood on the highest terrace for over two hundred years and was removed in 1747, badly damaged.

Facing the Tiber

The loggia over the Tiber has Tuscan columns, and its architrave bears the name of Julius II. The Pope conceived it as a loggia of blessings; payment records put Giuliano da Sangallo in charge of the works.

Photo: "Top of Castel Sant'Angelo" by Livioandronico2013 (CC BY-SA 4.0).

A chest with six locks

In 1586 Sixtus V placed the papal treasury in this round hall, with precious objects kept in iron chests. The great chest still at its centre opened only with six locks, each entrusted to a different person.

Bronze angel of 1752

It is the highest point open to visitors, with a view of almost 360 degrees over historic Rome. Above it stands the bronze Archangel Michael by Peter Anton van Verschaffelt, unveiled on the summit in 1752.

Four corner bastions

The sentries' round walk runs on top of the outer walls and links the four bastions at the corners. Named after the four Evangelists, the bastions were begun by Pope Nicholas V between 1447 and 1455.

Seven stops through the Vatican Museums and St Peter's, from the Courtyard of the Pinecone to the Sistine Chapel and the dome.

See the Vatican stop by stop >

Six stops inside the amphitheatre, from the outer ring and the arena to the underground and the attic.

Take the 3D tour of the Colosseum >

Seven stops in the Pantheon, from the porch and the bronze door to the rotunda, Raphael's tomb, the dome and the oculus.

Watch the Pantheon virtual tour >