Castel Sant'Angelo
Title
Description
The Castel Sant’Angelo was an important political landmark in medieval Rome. Whoever controlled it controlled the city. For example, in the 10th century, the powerful Crescentii family used it as a garrison, which allowed them to seize and imprison two Popes-- John X and Benedict VI-- and replace them with men who would act more favorably towards them. Luckily for the Catholic Church, this plan fell apart when the Roman citizenry rose up and cleared out the space, angry about the new pope.In the aftermath, the church learned from its past mistakes and worked to claim the fortress as its own.
This strategy was incredibly valuable. Pope St. Gregory VII was able to take refuge in the Castel Sant'Angelo in 1084 during a siege of Rome by Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. Gregory VII would not be the only one to use it as such, as the building became an important refuge for popes, and later served as a barracks to defend Rome (and the Vatican) against enemy invaders.
That said, the Castel Sant’Angelo didn’t always have this military importance. It began as the Roman emperor Hadrian’s tomb, the remnants of which help form the inner tower structure. The bridge over the Tiber Riber, known as the Ponte Sant’Angelo, was also built by Hadrian. Those are some of the only original structures that remain, as the space was transformed into a fortress in the 5th century, so walls and other defensive elements had to be periodically added in.
When examining Castel Sant’Angelo today, it’s important to note that many decorations were added during the Renaissance period to reflect papal dominance, like statues of SS. Peter and Paul on the Ponte Sant’Angelo. Thus, they should be disregarded when considering what the space would have looked like during early papal processions.
Finally, Castel Sant’Angelo also has an extensive religious history. There is a story that St. Gregory the Great led an emergency procession during a plague in 590. When he arrived at the Castel Sant’Angelo, he witnessed the Archangel Michael appear over the structure, sheathing a sword and announcing the end of the disease. This event helped spur Castel Sant’Angelo’s placement within processions as a place where a miracle occurred. Thus, in summary, Castel Sant’Angelo represented an important marker of the papacy’s power, due to its history as papal refuge and military stronghold, as well as its connection with miracles. Therefore, the site played an important role in papal processions.
Creator
Edited by Ella Parke (2027) and Julia Tassava (2026)
Source
Chandlery, Peter Joseph. Pilgrim-Walks in Rome: A Guide to the Holy Places in The City and Its Vicinity. America Press, 1908
Macadam, Alta and Annabel Barber. The Blue Guide to Rome. London, England: Blue Guides Limited, 2016.
Partridge, Loren. The Art of the Renaissance in Rome (1400-1600). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 1996.
Ring, Trudy. Noelle Watson, and Paul Schellinger. Southern Europe: International Dictionary of Historic Places. London, England: Routledge, 2013.
Stinger, Charles L. The Renaissance in Rome. Bloomington Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1998.
Identifier
Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Description
The Castel Sant’Angelo was an important political landmark in medieval Rome. Whoever controlled it controlled the city. For example, in the 10th century, the powerful Crescentii family used it as a garrison, which allowed them to seize and imprison two Popes-- John X and Benedict VI-- and replace them with men who would act more favorably towards them. Luckily for the Catholic Church, this plan fell apart when the Roman citizenry rose up and cleared out the space, angry about the new pope.In the aftermath, the church learned from its past mistakes and worked to claim the fortress as its own.
This strategy was incredibly valuable. Pope St. Gregory VII was able to take refuge in the Castel Sant'Angelo in 1084 during a siege of Rome by Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. Gregory VII would not be the only one to use it as such, as the building became an important refuge for popes, and later served as a barracks to defend Rome (and the Vatican) against enemy invaders.
That said, the Castel Sant’Angelo didn’t always have this military importance. It began as the Roman emperor Hadrian’s tomb, the remnants of which help form the inner tower structure. The bridge over the Tiber Riber, known as the Ponte Sant’Angelo, was also built by Hadrian. Those are some of the only original structures that remain, as the space was transformed into a fortress in the 5th century, so walls and other defensive elements had to be periodically added in.
When examining Castel Sant’Angelo today, it’s important to note that many decorations were added during the Renaissance period to reflect papal dominance, like statues of SS. Peter and Paul on the Ponte Sant’Angelo. Thus, they should be disregarded when considering what the space would have looked like during early papal processions.
Finally, Castel Sant’Angelo also has an extensive religious history. There is a story that St. Gregory the Great led an emergency procession during a plague in 590. When he arrived at the Castel Sant’Angelo, he witnessed the Archangel Michael appear over the structure, sheathing a sword and announcing the end of the disease. This event helped spur Castel Sant’Angelo’s placement within processions as a place where a miracle occurred. Thus, in summary, Castel Sant’Angelo represented an important marker of the papacy’s power, due to its history as papal refuge and military stronghold, as well as its connection with miracles. Therefore, the site played an important role in papal processions.
Creator
Teddy Wolfe (2020)Edited by Ella Parke (2027) and Julia Tassava (2026)
Coverage
1000sSource
Brentano, Robert. Rome before Avignon: A Social History of Thirteenth-Century Rome. New York City, NY: Basic Books, 1974Chandlery, Peter Joseph. Pilgrim-Walks in Rome: A Guide to the Holy Places in The City and Its Vicinity. America Press, 1908
Macadam, Alta and Annabel Barber. The Blue Guide to Rome. London, England: Blue Guides Limited, 2016.
Partridge, Loren. The Art of the Renaissance in Rome (1400-1600). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 1996.
Ring, Trudy. Noelle Watson, and Paul Schellinger. Southern Europe: International Dictionary of Historic Places. London, England: Routledge, 2013.
Stinger, Charles L. The Renaissance in Rome. Bloomington Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1998.