Castel Sant'Angelo (literally meaning Castle of the Holy Angel) also known as Mausoleum of Hadrian, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, Italy. Castel Sant'Angelo was once the tallest building in Rome, now it is a museum and one of the popular tourist attractions in Rome.
Castel Sant'Angelo was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle.
The tomb of the Roman emperor Hadrian, also called Hadrian's mole, was erected on the right bank of the Tiber, built between AD 134 and 139. Hadrian's ashes were placed here a year after his death, together with those of his wife and his first adopted son.
It was said that the Archangel Michael appeared atop the mausoleum, sheathing his sword as a sign of the end of the plague of 590, thus lending the castle its present name.
Right at the main entrance of Castel Sant'Angelo is Ponte Sant'Angelo, it is a Roman bridge completed in 134 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian.
Ponte Sant'Angelo is faced with travertine marble and spans the Tiber with five arches, the bridge is now solely pedestrian and provides a scenic view of Castel Sant'Angelo.
There are many stalls by the riverside of Tiber, even though you don’t like shopping, you can still enjoy the greenery outside Castel Sant'Angelo.
