At the sight of this impregnable bastion, many wonder: “how did it get such a light and soaring name?”. It did not appear right away. At first it was a tomb built specifically for Emperor Hadrian and members of his family, but later the remains of all subsequent emperors, up to Septimius Severus, were buried here as well. Later, in 271-275, this mausoleum became part of the Aurelian Wall and served military purposes.

And only in the VI century, when plague was raging in Italy, did the castle receive its current name. In 590 Pope Gregory I the Great was walking through the city gripped by the epidemic together with a penitential procession. When they were passing by Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum, the Pope saw an angel at the top of the fortress. It was the Archangel Michael, sheathing his flaming sword, which meant that the prayers of the faithful had been heard and the plague had come to an end. Since then, this mausoleum has been called nothing other than Castel Sant'Angelo.

Later it even served as a prison, and now it is home to the National Museum, where you can see many historical exhibits and treasures once hidden by the Popes within the walls of the castle. The Armory Chamber, a military history museum, and an old library are also located here.