Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome, Italy

Rome offers an abundance of monuments and sights rich in history, stories and legends. Castel Sant’Angelo is one which truly encompasses the essence of the city’s transformation throughout the centuries. A mausoleum, a fortress, a hideaway, a museum… The castle had numerous roles throughout the history and remains a subject of fascination even today. 

Castel Sant’Angelo’s story is as complex as the multi-layered structure of the castle itself. Its walls have seen more than 1800 years of blood, wars and death.It was first built between 123 and 139 AD to serve as the mausoleum of the Roman emperor, Hadrian, and his family. Legend has it that the name of the castle was given after the Archangel Michael appeared at the top of the castle sheathing his sword and with that, ending the plague of 590 which tormented Rome. An imposing statue of the angel can be seen on top of the castle.

In the 14th century, Castel Sant’Angelo took on the role of a military fortress connected to the Vatican through an elevated passageway which still exists today, “Passetto di Borgo”. It was later used as a prison; a place where executions were carried out and where prisoners were left to starve. In 1901, it became a wonderfully rich museum which harbors relics of its tumultuous past. Today, it graces the Roman skyline with its golden lights, and is visited by many during their stay in Rome.

Location: Lungotevere Castello, 50, 00193 Roma RM, Italy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wellawatte, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Image
Wellawatte is located at the south of Bambalapitiya, Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is a busy and densely populated town with many textile and jewellery shops. There are also many restaurants and apartment buildings in the area. Many of the locals are tamils, and the Wellawatte Beach is a very popular attraction here. A trip by train along the Wellawatte Beach is an exciting experience as it offers beautiful sceneries of the Indian Ocean. Wellawatte railway station is located on the Coast line between Bambalapitiya and Dehiwala railway stations. Distance between Colombo Fort and Wellawatte railway station is about 7km. Wellawatte means ‘sandy garden’ in Sinhala, the Sri Lanka's main language. The Wellawatte canal, which is spanned by a road bridge before spilling to the sea, then, as now, was an important feature of the area.
Read more

Fontane di Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City

Image
Fontane di Piazza San Pietro are two fountains in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, created by Carlo Maderno (1612–1614) and Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1667–1677) to ornament the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. The older fountain, by Maderno, is on the north side of the square. The Maderno fountain on the north side of the square is located on the site of an earlier fountain, built in 1490 during the time of Pope Innocent VIII. It was reputed to be the finest fountain in Rome For half a century, the square was decorated with the Maderno fountain and with the obelisk raised by Pope Sixtus V, but the southern part of the square remained empty. In 1667, Pope Clement X commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to build a second fountain, which closely followed the design of the Maderno fountain. The Bernini fountain was completed in 1677. Follow The Match for Sports Updates ! Like all fountains of the time, the fountain on St. Peter's Square had no pumps an
Read more

Old Market Square, Nottingham, England

Image
The Old Market Square (Slab Square) is an open city square in Nottingham, England. It is is the largest public space in the United Kingdom after London’s Trafalgar Square, covering an area of approximately 22,000 square metres. The square is a major hub for the city’s social scene and transport links. It is often used for large local events, fairs, concerts and exhibitions. Located in the heart of Nottingham City Centre, the square is bounded by Beastmarket Hill to the West, Smithy Row to the North, and South Parade to the South. The Eastern end of the square is dominated by the Council House, which serves as Nottingham's town hall. The square was the original setting of Nottingham Goose Fair, an annual fair held in October originating over 700 years ago. The Goose Fair was moved in 1928 for redevelopment of the square. Previously, the Square has been affectionately nicknamed 'Slab Square',owing to the high numbers of concrete paving slabs that made the former
Read more