If you want to discover the wonders of the Castellan’s apartment inside Castel Sant’Angelo, you’ve come to the right place!
In this article we will retrace together the history of one of the most fascinating areas of the Mole Adriana.
We will discover together the three rooms of the Castellan (“verso Ripetta”, “centrale and “verso San Pietro”), which were recently reopened to the public on the occasion of the Jubilee and host a permanent exhibition dedicated to the historic firework display of the Girandola.
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IMPORTANT! Before you start reading the article, I ask you to pay attention: due to the popularity of this monument, you will certainly encounter a long queue at the ticket office to visit the Castellan’s flat. To enter this attraction and skip the queue, I recommend buying your ticket online. Click below to book your entry and enter Castel Sant’Angelo without any loss of time.
Skip-the-line ticket Castel Sant’Angelo Rome: fast access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, the Sant’Angelo Bridge, the prisons and much more.
You can cancel free of charge up to the day before the visit.
Castellan’s Apartment: brief history
The flat of Castellan was conceived as the residence of the official in charge of managing Castel Sant’Angelo. This figure had the task of administering the fortress and guaranteeing its security, representing papal power within the structure.
The flat was built between 1730 and 1731 at the behest of Zenobio Savelli (1673-1752), an officer in the papal army, following his appointment as vice chancellor by Pope Clement XII Corsini, as the plaque visible on the entrance door still shows.
Originally, the rooms of the flat were distributed over two levels, with seven rooms in total: three on the upper floor, currently open to the public, and four on the lower floor, including the famous Perseus and Cupid and Psyche rooms.
The renovation works commissioned by Savelli helped to define the current configuration of Castel sant’Angelo’s external elevation, with a regular succession of windows that integrate with the solid architecture of the fortress.
The interior decorations reflect the prestige of the office of the Castellan and the symbolic role of the flat, a place not only of residence but also of institutional representation.
Description of the Castellan’s flat
The upper level of the Castellan’s flat consists of three rooms that were formerly distinguished, depending on location, as ‘verso Ripetta’, ‘central’ and ‘verso San Pietro’.
The three rooms feature refined decorations with grotesque motifs and symbolic references to the Palombara family. The vaults are decorated with the emblems of the house, a detail that is repeated in the decoration of the entire flat.
The heart of the flat, the central hall stands out for its spaciousness and the majestic vault decorated with the coats of arms of Pope Benedict XIV.
The ornaments of the vault, with their elaborate decorations, recall the 16th century school of Perin del Vaga, whose influence is present in many areas of Castel sant’Angelo.
The walls present scenes animated by putti engaged in playful activities, an expression of the refined and light style of the Rococo period.
An important contribution to the decoration of the flat came from Pier Leone Ghezzi (1674-1755), a famous painter and official caricaturist of the Castle. Recent research has attributed the frescoes to him, which were completed in early 1731 with the assistance of Daniele De Vitten, an expert master gilder.
At one time, there was a large clock on the façade of the flat , painted in 1746 by Pier Leone Ghezzi himself. The white dial with Roman numerals, placed between the central windows, was a symbolic element of Castel Sant’Angelo, marking time in the fortress. Removed in 1934, its loss marked the disappearance of an important architectural detail.
Skip-the-line ticket Castel Sant’Angelo Rome: fast access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, the Sant’Angelo Bridge, the prisons and much more.
You can cancel free of charge up to the day before the visit.
The Girandola exhibition in Castel Sant’Angelo
The exhibition currently housed in the Appartamento del Castellano is dedicated to the Girandola, the impressive firework display that, for centuries, illuminated the walls of Castel Sant’Angelo.
This event, which combined art, science and religious celebration, has its roots in 1481, with the first fireworks designed by Michelangelo, and later perfected by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Athanasius Kircher.
Zenobio Savelli played a central role in the organisation of the Girandola: in 1750, he published the treatise De spari diversi d’artiglieria. .., a guide to fireworks to be performed on the occasion of major festivities.
In the central hall, artillery tools and equipment used in the realisation of fireworks are exhibited, providing an understanding of the technical evolution that made these events increasingly spectacular.
The side rooms tell the story of the scenic side of the Girandola through paintings and engravings: an exhibition itinerary that includes works by artists such as Guilliam van Nieulandt II, Giovanni Ambrogio Brambilla and Nicolas Van Aelst, who were able to immortalise the unique atmosphere of this event.
In the room towards St. Peter’s, on the other hand, you can admire a selection of prints illustrating the designs of the pyrotechnic machines used over the centuries, bearing witness to the stylistic and engineering influences that inspired architects from Virginio Vespignani to Gioacchino Ersoch.
If you are interested in discovering the history of this legendary event, do not miss the article on the Girandola of Castel Sant’Angelo.
Castellan’s Apartment: tickets
The flat of the Castellano, as well as the exhibition on the Girandola of Castel Sant’Angelo inside it, can also be visited without the accompaniment of an official guide.
However, it is possible – and in many ways advisable – to book a visit with an audio guide or a guided tour of the castle.
Below I leave you our selection of the best tickets that you can buy online. I am sure you will find one that suits you!
Skip-the-line ticket Castel Sant’Angelo Rome: fast access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, the Sant’Angelo Bridge, the prisons and much more.
You can cancel free of charge up to the day before the visit.
Frequently asked questions
The Castellan’s apartment is located on the upper floor of Castel Sant’Angelo. It can be accessed via the castle tour, one of the most fascinating sites in the city.
Castel Sant’Angelo takes its name from St. Michael the Archangel who, according to tradition, appeared before Pope Gregory the Great in 590 A.D. on the top of the Mole Adriana in the act of sheathing his sword, prophesying the end of the plague epidemic that was afflicting the city.
Inside the Castel Sant’Angelo you can still admire Hadrian’s tomb, the spiral staircase, the papal quarters, the frescoes, the execution ground, the Grand Loggia, the ramparts, the well-preserved fortress rooms and much more.
L’ingresso è gratuito ogni prima domenica del mese, e nelle giornate a ingresso gratuito non è prevista la prenotazione.
A visit to Castel Sant’Angelo lasts on average 1 ½ hours, but if there are temporary exhibitions, or if you are an art enthusiast, you may take longer to visit the museum.
Conclusions
The reopening of the “Appartamento del Castellano” represents an unmissable occasion for lovers of history, art and culture.
In addition to the beauty of the frescoes and decorations, the visit offers an immersion into the life of the Castellan and the glorious past of Castel Sant’Angelo. The Girandola exhibition further enriches the experience, allowing you to discover one of the most spectacular events in ancient and modern Rome.
To conclude, as always, I have given you some brief useful information about the visit and tickets, and I have dedicated myself to answering the most frequently asked questions, so that you can be fully prepared for your visit to Castel Sant’Angelo, the flat of the Castellan and the exhibition on the Girandola.
If you need more information, leave a comment below; if you want to visit the Castle, buy your ticket and skip the queue at the ticket office.
Skip-the-line ticket Castel Sant’Angelo Rome: fast access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, the Sant’Angelo Bridge, the prisons and much more.
You can cancel free of charge up to the day before the visit.
