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The original building dates from 139 A.D. and was first named Mausoleo Adriano. Pope Gregorio Il Grande ordered to Romans to make a procession on which they passed by the structure. Gregorio, who was leading the procession, saw an angel on the top who was replacing his sword in the sheath. Rome was suffering from a plague at this time and Gregorio took this to be a vision and interpreted as a God's sign for the imminent end of the plague. From that day on, the building changed its name in Castel Sant'Angelo and an estatue representing the good angel can still be seen (not as a vision) on the top of it. Throughout time, the building changed a lot of times being used as a tower for observation of the Aurelian wall, a jail and the Popes' residence in case of danger as it happened in 1527 during the Sack of Rome. For this reason a secret corridor joining the building to San Pietro was built in 1277 to allow the Pope to escape from the Vatican to the castel in case of attack. Today Castel Sant'Angelo is an interesting museum that is open every day but Mondays. The museum illustrates the history of the building. Many rooms are frescoed by Renaissance artists as Domenico Zaga and Perin del Vaga (worthy of a visit is the Sala Paolina). The room where probably Emperor Adriano was buried was converted in the "treasure room" in 1586 by Pope Sisto V who put the Vatican wealth inside a huge wooden trunk still visible today. The top terrace offers to the visitor the suggestion of the angel besides an amazing view of Rome and an unforgettable sunset on San Pietro's Church.

Photo by Jim Bruner

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Date this page was last edited: Saturday, August 02, 2008 17:10:43

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