Castel Sant Angelo or Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome.

©Blue Planet Studio/Shutterstock

Castel Sant'Angelo

Top choice in Vatican City, Borgo & Prati


With its chunky round keep, this castle is an instantly recognisable landmark. Built as a mausoleum for the emperor Hadrian, it was converted into a papal fortress in the 6th century and named after an angelic vision that Pope Gregory the Great had in 590. Nowadays, it is a moody and dramatic keep that houses the Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo and its grand collection of paintings, sculpture, military memorabilia and medieval firearms.

Many of these weapons were used by soldiers fighting to protect the castle, which, thanks to a 13th-century secret passageway to the Vatican (Passetto di Borgo), provided sanctuary to many popes in times of danger. Most famously, Pope Clemente VI holed up here during the 1527 sack of Rome.

The castle's upper floors are filled with elegant Renaissance interiors, including the lavish Sala Paolina with frescoes depicting episodes from the life of Alexander the Great. Two storeys up, the terrace, immortalised by Puccini in his opera Tosca, offers unforgettable views over Rome and has a busy little cafe (snacks €2.50 to €5).

Fascinating guided Secret Castle (Il Castello Segreto) tours (twice daily in English) take in the hidden Passetto di Borgo, the prisons and the beautifully painted, steam-heated papal baths of Leo X and Clemente VII.

Ticket prices may increase during temporary exhibitions.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Vatican City, Borgo & Prati attractions

1. Ponte Sant’Angelo

0.08 MILES

The emperor Hadrian built the Ponte Sant’Angelo in 136 to provide an approach to his mausoleum, but it was Bernini who brought it to life, designing the…

3. Palazzo di Giustizia

0.23 MILES

This vast landmark palazzo, built to a neo-baroque style between 1888 and 1911, is the seat of Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation.

5. Via dei Coronari

0.26 MILES

This cobbled Renaissance street lined with antique shops, boutiques and costume jewellers is a lovely place for a stroll. It follows the course of the…

6. Museo Napoleonico

0.3 MILES

Dedicated to iconic military leader Napoleon Bonaparte and his lineage, this museum hosts Napoleonic paintings, sculptures, souvenirs and heirlooms…

7. Torre dell'Orologio

0.3 MILES

Built by Borromini between 1647 and 1648, this landmark clock tower, after which the piazza below is named, was designed for the adjacent convent of San…