Ponte Sant'Angelo side view

The Ponte Sant’Angelo connects the Lungotevere Vaticano in the rione Borgo to the Piazza di Ponte Sant’Angelo in the rione Ponte. It is one of the most famous bridges of Rome, thanks to the Castel Sant’Angelo.

A brief history of the Ponte Sant’Angelo in Rome

The Ponte Sant’Angelo was built in 134 AD. Its construction was ordered by the Emperor Hadrian, who wanted to be able to reach his mausoleum (now known as Castel Sant’Angelo) on the right bank of the river. The architect entrusted with the task was Demetriano, who did such a good job that in the course of its history the Ponte Sant’Angelo has never been destroyed or even damaged during the many times the Tiber flooded.

In 1450, a Jubilee year, the sides collapsed. This was partly due to the excessive crowds, and partly to the commercial activities that had opened on the bridge. Pope Nicolò V subsequently had two chapels constructed flanking the beginning of the bridge on the Piazza di Ponte Sant’Angelo side.

In 1535 the marble bases for the statues of the Saints Peter and Paul, sculpted respectively by Lorenzetto and Paolo Taccone, were added by Pope Clement VII. Nicolò V’s chapels had been used by the Landsknechts to attack the castle.

The 10 angel statues holding symbols of the passion were added in 1669, by Pope Clemente IX Rospigliosi. The statue were all designed by Bernini, but only two of them were also sculpted by the master. The others are the work of his pupils. The Bernini ones on the bridge itself are copies. The originals are in the church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte.

The Ponte Sant'Angelo leading to the Castel Sant'Angelo

In 1892 the walls flanking the Tiber were constructed, which led to a widening of the embankments. The two outer arches also had to be lengthened.

From the 16th century onwards it was customary to show the bodies of executed criminals on the Ponte Sant’Angelo.

In the course of its history the Ponte Sant’Angelo has also been known under the names pons Aelius (Ponte Elio), pons Hadriani (Hadrian‘s bridge) and ponte di Castello. When the Mausoleum of Hadrian was transformed into the Castel Sant’Angelo, the name of the bridge changed along with it. The bridge later gave its name to the rione Sant’Angelo.

Ponte Sant’Angelo – Rome

Sources

  • Ravaglioli, Armando – Vedere e capire Roma (1980).
  • Photos are my own.