Ponte Sant'Angelo, Marvel at the Angelic Guardians of the Tiber

Ponte Sant'Angelo, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

The angel statue above comes to life

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Introduction

The Ponte Sant'Angelo is an ancient Roman bridge that crosses the Tiber River, connecting the city center and the Castel Sant'Angelo. Built in 134 AD, the bridge is decorated with marble and has three arches. Today, it has become a pedestrian paradise. In the past, pilgrims on their way to St. Peter's Basilica often crossed the bridge, so it was also called the "Ponte di San Pietro." In the 6th century, Pope Gregory I applied the title "Sant'Angelo" to the castle and the bridge, and it is said that the archangel Michael appeared on the roof of the castle, announcing the end of the Black Death. During the Jubilee of 1450, many pilgrims drowned in the river, and as a result, the houses at the bridge's head and a Roman triumphal arch were demolished to widen the path for the pilgrims.