As embarrassing as it is to say this, my introduction to Castel Sant’Angelo came not from visiting the site, but from this little movie called Angels and Demons. The conspiracy filled movie did manage to convince me of how remarkable this site since it is usually overlooked by what’s down the street. The bridge of Angels leading up to the Castel Sant’Angelo is nothing by awe inspiring, not only because it is positioned above the river, but also because you’re out in the open and you’re looking at this tomb, which his bizarre in a way, but the angels and all their different poses make you feel heavily guarded and safe. The fact that it functioned differently throughout history (mausoleum for Hadrian, fortress, Papal house, and museum) is also pretty impressive. At the top is a large statue of none other than Archangel Michael himself who apparently appeared and landed on the castle, ending the 590 AD plague the moment he put his sword back into its scabbard.

Another mausoleum, not too far from Hadrian’s, is the tomb of Augustus, which is one of the emperor’s first major building projects in Rome. It’s said to have been inspired by the mausoleum of Alexander the Great in Alexandria, Egypt. Due to the poor preservation of the building, it doesn’t look as grandeur as any of the sites we’ve discussed thus far. It is weird to say but the greenery surrounding the building from everywhere does make it look aesthetically pleasing in a way. The trees and vines bring the concrete and large limestone blocks to life. It was supposed to open for visitors spring of this year but sadly, that didn’t happen. Hopefully soon though…

Another attraction that traces its roots to the earliest centuries Common Era, the Castel Sant’Angelo was commissioned and built in the first half of the second century.  Also known as the Sepulcrum Antoninorum, the Hadrianeum, or the Mausoleum of Hadrian, it was originally constructed as a final resting place for the heralded emperor and his family.  The tomb of Hadrian, also called Hadrian’s “mole”, was erected on the bank of the Tiber river between 134 and 139 CE.  However, it was also adapted to numerous purposes throughout the long history beyond a tomb.  For a significant period of time, the papacy adapted it to a fortress, residence, and prison.  The central interior circle is made of rooms used as chapels, apartments, and prison cells. The figure that tops the Castle, visible from all angles outside, traces its roots back to a legend that the Archangel Michael appeared in the 6th century to mark the end of a plague that had ravaged the city.  The usage of the castle as a fortress ended in the beginning of the 20th century and decommissioned into a museum.  Today, the Castle of Holy Angels can be visited by the public and is not far from Vatican City.