• Brief description: The Castel San Angelo is a Roman monument constructed as a mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian, although its use was quickly changed for military ends. The name comes from the year 590, during a great epidemic of plague which hit the city: Pope Gregory I said that he had seen the Archangel Saint Michael on the top of the castle. He was sheathing his sword to signify the end of the epidemic. To commemorate the apparition a statue of an angel crowns the building. Today it is the National Museum.
• Length of visit: 1h
• Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday from 09.00 to 19.00. Last admission 30min before closing.
• Cost: 5? (discounts apply for EU citizens).
• How to get there: situated in front of Sant'Angelo Bridge, a short distance from the Vatican City. The nearest metro stops are: Ottaviano-San Pietro and Lepanto (line A).