Visit the Château Saint-Ange in Rome: tickets, prices, schedules

On the occasion of your stay in Italy, visit the Château Saint-Ange in Rome and go back to the course of eighteen centuries of history!

Would you like to visit the Château Saint-Ange in Rome? Old of nearly 2,000 years, the building is linked to both Roman emperors and Vatican popes. Funeral, military, or residential building: Castel Sant’Angelo has experienced many changes. They have helped to forge the spirit of the place, and to make it one of the most interesting witnesses of the history of Rome. He is now one of his must-see museums, and reveals his wealth to visitors from all over the world.

On the edges of the Tiber, facing the Saint-Ange bridge, push the doors of this exceptional monument, and go for a journey back, in the heart of the Eternal City.

History of the Château Saint-Ange in Rome

The history of the Château Saint-Ange in Rome begins in 123 after Jesus Christ. L’ Emperor Hadrian orders the construction of a mausoleum for him and his family. The new monument takes place on the left bank of the Tiber, and is inspired by the mausoleum of Augustus, built on the other side. They have in common this massive rotunda look in travertine. Hadrian died in 138, shortly before the end of the construction. As a result, his remains and that of his wife will be placed there only one year later. The mausoleum fulfilled its function for other emperors until 217. He then became a safe place in the wall of the Aurelian, in charge of the defence of Rome.

In 590, the plague appeared, and ravaged the city. Pope Gregory I has a vision of the archangel Michel standing on the roof of the building. Renouncing his sword, he means the end of the epidemic. A chapel dedicated to Saint-Michel was built a little later, and the old mausoleum took the name of Castel Sant’Angelo, the Château Saint-Ange.

Paradoxically, he was then associated with justice. Transformed into prison, the Castle served as a gem to astronomer Galileo . Several noble families of the city contested his property, which ultimately went beyond the popes. They made it one of their residences, thus linking the future of the castle to that of the Vatican. A secret corridor connected the two sites, a few hundred metres away. In the 19th century, the Château Saint-Ange returned to prison and was converted into a museum in 1906.

Finally, he became the National Museum of the Château Saint-Ange in 1925. Emblematic building of the Italian capital, you may have seen it in the film Illuminati , by Ron Howard, inspired by the novel Angels and demons of Dan Brown; unless you remember him in the opera of Puccini, La Tosca ?

What to see and do at Château Saint-Ange?

Visiting the Château Saint-Ange in Rome returns to discover both an architectural monument and a museum of art in its own right. Access is made by a ramp, which leads first to the court of honour and the former mausoleum. It occupies the first two levels of the building, which includes six in total . In the Atrium, a bust of the Hadrian emperor is exposed, as well as various ancient sculptures.

The First level is particularly devoted to ceramic pieces and fragments dating from Roman antiquity. All were found during archaeological excavations on the site of the tomb of Hadrian.

♪ third, fourth and fifth levels Make the visitor jump in time. In fact, this is notably the apartments for popes, testifying to the role of the castle in the Italian Renaissance.

As a national museum, Château Saint-Ange now houses an important collection of paintings and ancient objects. These precious funds come in part from private donations from large Roman families, and have formed over time. The rooms are decorated with numerous frescoes dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, some of which belong to the Mannerist movement. This artistic current, born in Italy in the sixteenth century, reflects the blurring of humanist convictions after the sack of Rome in 1527. A major influence, particularly in the Salle de l’Adrianeum and in Salle des Guirlandes , where are the achievements of the painters Lorenzo Lotto and Marco Pino.

Finally, the round path, sixth and final , awaits you for a breathtaking view of the Italian capital. Another way to discover Pantheon and Capitol Palace !

How do I go to the Château Saint-Ange in Rome?

The Château Saint-Ange is located in Lungotevere Castello, 50 , close to the Vatican City and St. Peter's Square.

To access it easily, you have the choice between the various public transport services put in place:

• By metro

If you want to take the metro, then choose the line A (Valle Aurelia – Anagnina). You can go down to the stations Lepanto or Ottaviano – San Pietro .

• By bus

For bus lines, know that the city counts almost 350: so you have a choice! The lines 23, 40, 62, 271, 280 and 982 will deposit you to the station Piazza Pia , while the line 34 dessert the station via di Porta Castello . Finally, the lines 49, 87, 926 and 990 pass through the station Piazza Cavour , and the lines 46 and 64 , by the station Santo Spirito .

Tickets are purchased at metro stations, tobacco offices and newspaper kiosks, at the unit or in a package.

Schedules & Rates of the Château Saint-Ange in Rome

HORARI

The Château Saint-Ange is open to visitors every day of the week, from 9 h to 7 h 30 . The last entry tickets are sold an hour before closing, which is until 6:30 p.m.

The only annual closing days are 25 December and 1 January . On the other hand, exceptional closures are possible; Consider checking the information on the official site of the monument before your visit.

RATES

To visit the Château Saint-Ange in Rome, you can use the Roma Pass . This is a tourist map valid for 48 hours or 72 hours, allowing you to save some money during your visits. It offers, for example, free access to two museums in the city, and allows you to benefit from cut-file tickets.

Tickets sold by the Château Museum are three types (prices may vary during exhibition periods):

• Free : for students under the age of 18, students and teachers in Literature and Arts attached to a faculty of the European Union, journalists, tourist guides, persons with disabilities with their assistant;
• Reduced price : 7 € for EU nationals aged 18 to 25 years;
• Rate : 14 €.

Note : It is strongly recommended to book tickets online, in order to avoid a waiting time often very important at the ticket office. Also valid for group visits, from 20 people!

With this different information, you now have all the cards in hand to visit the Château Saint-Ange in Rome during your next stay!