Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy
Posted by: 
vraatja
N 41° 54.180 E 012° 27.980
33T E 289841 N 4642110
One of the most original monuments in Rome, dates back to the Roman period but has been deeply transformed over the centuries. It served during centuries as a mausoleum, fortress, castle, prison and now it is a museum.
Waymark Code: WMA8JY
Location: Lazio, Italy
Date Posted: 12/03/2010
Views: 77
This enormous impressive circular construction was built by emperor Hadrian in 130-139 as a mausoleum for himself and his family in substitution of one, already built on the opposite side of the Tiber by emperor Augustus. The height is nearly 50m, the design belongs to Hadrian. The mausoleum consisted of a base 89m sq., supporting a round tower 64m in diameter of peperino and travertine overlaid with marble.
The popes converted the structure into a castle, from the 14th century; Pope Nicholas III connected the castle to St. Peter's Basilica by a covered fortified corridor called the Passetto di Borgo. The fortress was the refuge of Pope Clement VII from the siege of Charles V's Landsknecht during the Sack of Rome (1527), in which Benvenuto Cellini describes strolling the ramparts and shooting enemy soldiers.
The Papal state also used Sant'Angelo as a prison; Giordano Bruno, for example, was imprisoned there for six years. Executions were made in the small interior square. As a prison, it was also the setting for the third act of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca from whose ramparts the eponymous heroine of the opera leaps to her death.
Being an official prison for many centuries Castel S.Angelo contains numerous prison cells, to begin with those built by Pius IV with the sizes that wouldn't permit a prisoner to stand on the legs and lie, the only position possible was sitting.
In the so called Cortile Dal Pozzo, built by Alexander VI, were the cells reserved for important persons. For example, here in 1538 - beginning of 1539 for the first time was held Benvenuto Cellini, where he could continue his activity as a sculptor and from where he escaped using the rope made of the pieces of bed sheet. But he was caught in a short time and re-imprisoned again till the end of 1539, but this time - in underground cell.
In the loggia over the pope's apartment of Paul II is a room where in 1789 was kept the famous adventurer Giuseppe Balsamo named count of Cagliostro.
The processes over the prisoners were held in the Hall of Justice, it was built in Roman times above the sepulchral cella, and has a fresco of Justice attributed to Domenico Zaga.
The executions took place out of the castle on the other side of the Tiber, but in a lot of cases -inside of the castle, right in the cells.
Among numerous historical figures ended their days inside of the castle were 5 popes.
In 897 by the cause of popular rising Stephan VI was sent here and strangled.
In 903 Leo V was imprisoned and killed here by the order of anti-pope Cristopher.
In 928 John X was deposed and strangled with a pillow.
In 973 Benedict VI was deposed and strangled by anti-pope Boniface VII during the popular rising.
In 984 John XIV was imprisoned and poisoned by the same anti-pope Boniface VII.
Alexander VI Borgia was particularly cruel with the personalities standing on his way. So, the cardinal G.Orsini found himself in the prison cell of the Castel Sant'Angelo in February of 1503. His mother and lover (dressed up as a man) found the opportunity to speak with Borgia and offer him a very rare pearl of the greatest value in change of Orsini's freedom. The pope took it and assured women to make the prisoner free. He held his word and made the cardinal get out of the castle...but when Orsini was already dead.
A couple of months later another cardinal G.Michiel, grandson of Paul II was imprisoned by Borgia and poisoned in the walls of Castle. Specially interesting is a story of a medical doctor and alchemist G.F.Borri (1627-95) imprisoned because of "magic" by the Holy Inquisition. He cured the French ambassador d'Estrees inside of the Castel Sant'Angelo and obtained the fame of a doctor of aristocracy. He was given a little apartment in the prison where he could receive numerous noble clients. Even the pope Innocent XII used his medical help and granted Borri with the freedom. But the doctor was already ill with malaria and died in the castle.
Address:
Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo
Lungotevere Vaticano
Rome, Italy
Open to the public: Yes
Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Fees?:
Adults €8, Reduced ticket €6
Web link: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
In order to add a new log to the waymark of this category, simply take another photo of the prison from a different angle than the other posts. Also add to the history of the jail when possible.