If you are looking for information on the elegant Cortile dell’Angelo in Castel Sant’Angelo, you will find everything you need here;
In this post I want to talk to you about the history of the Courtyard of Honour, completing the description of this important architectural work with some anticipations of what you will see on your visit to the National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo;
By the time you have finished reading, you will know everything about this essential part of the Castel Sant’Angelo tour, and you will not be unprepared either for the tickets to buy to visit it;
Are you ready? Read on if you want to learn more about how to visit the Courtyard of the Angel!.
WAIT A MOMENT! Before you read on, a brief warning: always keep in mind that, given the celebrity of this monumental work, to visit the Cortile dell’Angelo of Castel Sant’Angelo you will certainly run the risk of running into a long queue at the ticket office. To skip the queue, I recommend you buy your ticket directly online. Click below to book your entrance and enter Castel Sant’Angelo in the blink of an eye.
Castel Sant’Angelo Rome Tickets: Quick Access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, Hadrian’s Tomb, the papal quarters, the fortress and much more.
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Courtyard of Castel Sant’Angelo: History and Description
Contents
On the fourth level of the majestic building of Castel Sant’Angelo, after ascending the dark staircase leading out of the imperial sepulchre, you will come out onto a spacious and bright courtyard: it is the “Cortile dell’Angelo”, or “Cortile d’Onore” (Courtyard of the Angel or Courtyard of Honor respectively).
This court took its current form in the first half of the 16th century, between the pontificates of Leo X Medici and Paul III Farnese.
It is initially conceived as a space for representation and, above all, access to the fabulous papal apartments.
The rectangular courtyard is enclosed on one side by the Armerie, and on the other side by the old walls of the Mole Adriana, to which the sumptuous halls of the papal residence are attached.
The entrance façade is embellished by a double archway with a central niche, commissioned by Paolo III Farnese to Raffaello da Montelupo. The second fornix frames another flight of stairs leading up to the circular walkway.
The side facing the entrance, on the other hand, is enriched by the Edicule of the Chapel of Leo X, created in the early 16th century to a design by Michelangelo Buonarroti.
Chapel of Saints Cosmas and Damian by Leo X: photo by Sailko via Wikipedia
Both elevations feature a niche containing a male bust, the work of Guglielmo della Porta in the mid-16th century.
But the element that gives the courtyard its name is found in the centre: it is in fact the statue of St Michael the Archangel created in 1544 by Raffaello da Montelupo;
Of the many sculptures placed on top of Castel Sant’Angelo, besides the present one, this is the only one that has survived to the present day;
The Arcangel Michael, made of marble, is depicted wearing a long robe in the act of sheathing the sword. The armour is supported by shoulder straps displaying the Farnese Lily;
The dimensions of the head, which is disproportionate to the rest of the body, are justified by the original location, which envisaged a bottom-up view;
The wings, originally made of gold-plated metal, are perforated to reduce wind friction force;
Once replaced, after more than two hundred years spent on the top of the castle, the sculpture was transported to a niche in the Paul III staircase and then, at a later date, to its current location, i.e. in this courtyard, which, in 1910, took its name.
Below, behind the statue of St Michael the Archangel, a large wolf’s mouth window provides light to the imperial sepulchre below, while above it rises the papal apartments complex;
The Courtyard of Honour gives access to more rooms:
- Through the staircase adjacent to the entrance one reaches the Loggia of Paul III and the Giretto of Alexander VII on the upper level;
- To the right of the courtyard entrance are the entrances to the Below Armoury, now home to an exhibition of prints, paintings and three-dimensional models representing the historical evolution of the structure of Castel Sant’Angelo;
- to the left of the entrance is the Halls of Clement VIII, then the Hall of Justice and the Hall of Apollo;
- On the side opposite the entrance is the Leo X Chapel Chapel, consecrated to Saints Cosmas and Damian;
- Next to the Chapel, a large staircase connects the courtyard with the Loggia on the Tiber and the Representation Hall of Paul III’s apartment.
Castel Sant’Angelo Rome Tickets: Quick Access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, Hadrian’s Tomb, the papal quarters, the fortress and much more.
You can cancel free of charge up to the day before the visit.
Courtyard of Honour of Castel Sant’Angelo: How to Visit It
To visit the Cortile dell’Angelo simply purchase an entrance ticket to the National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo;
The entrance ticket alone, in fact, guarantees access to this area which, except for specific maintenance work, is normally open to visitors.
To reach the courtyard, one must ascend via the helical ramp that leads from the outer courtyard to the Urn Room, and then proceed via the diametrical ramp that runs through it;
People with disabilities, or their companions, may contact the museum staff to request use of the private lift.
The visiting hours are naturally linked to the opening hours of the National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo, i.e. Tuesday to Sunday, from 9.00 to 19.30 with last admission at 18.00.
What are you waiting for? Are you ready to visit the Court of Honour of Castel Sant’Angelo too? Read on to find out the best tickets to visit it.
Courtyard of the Angel of Castel Sant’Angelo: Tickets
Unlike other areas of Castel Sant’Angelo,the Cortile dell’Angelo (or Courtyard of Honour)can also be visited without the accompaniment of an official guide;
However, it is possible – and in many ways advisable – to book an audioguide or guided tour of the castle;
Here you can access our selection of the best tickets you can buy online. I’m sure you’ll find the one that’s right for you!
Castel Sant’Angelo Rome Tickets: Quick Access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, Hadrian’s Tomb, the papal quarters, the fortress and much more.
You can cancel free of charge up to the day before the visit.
Courtyard of Castel Sant’Angelo: Frequently Asked Questions
Inside the Castel Sant’Angelo, you can still admire the Tomb of Hadrian, the circular staircase, the Papal lodgings, the frescoes, the campus of executions, the Grande Loggia, the bastions, the well-preserved fortress rooms, and much more.
Castel Sant’Angelo is state-owned property of the Italian State, which currently manages it through the Direzione Musei statali di Roma.
Admission is free every first Sunday of the month, and on free admission days there is no need for reservations.
The Tosca, heroine of the historical drama by Victorien Sardou and the opera based on Puccini, in the last act throws herself off the Castel Sant’Angelo where her lover, the painter Mario Cavaradossi, has just been deceived.
Courtyard of the Angel: Conclusions
Here we come to the end of this short look at the elegant Angel’s Court;
I have told you the history and described the architectural wonders of this environment.
I have provided you with useful information on the visits you can make, and I have followed with you, on foot, the path that from the museum entrance to the stately Courtyard of Honour;
I also answered the questions that are most frequently asked;
If you need more information, leave a comment below; if you would like to visit the Castle and the Angel Courtyard, buy your ticket and skip the queue at the ticket office.
Castel Sant’Angelo Rome Tickets: Quick Access
Buy online. Choose your preferred time. Visit Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, Hadrian’s Tomb, the papal quarters, the fortress and much more.
You can cancel free of charge up to the day before the visit.
