Castel Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant’ Angelo was originally a tomb that was converted into a castle in the 14^th century by Pope Nicholas III. 

 They used the Sant’ Angelo as a fortress, to attack enemies from. They also used it as a prison.

 He connected the castle to St. Peter’s by building a really cool bridge.

Throughout the castle there are tons of references to St. Michael the Archangel. At the top of the castle there is a statue of him, winged, with a sword and scale. His wings represent swiftness, his sword means authority, and his scale weighs the integrity of humanity. He is actually a symbol that is accepted by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. 

The structure itself was really awesome. There were holes carved out everywhere for soldiers to shoot enemies. There were lookouts and cannons around every corner. This this was seemingly impossible to ambush or conquer. The inside of the castle was gorgeous. Of course there were no pictures allowed. The ceilings and the fireplaces were really spectacular. There was so much detail and gold on everything and every room had a wooden crest mounted on the ceiling. The castle was very large and you wind around four times before getting to what you think is the top. At that point we realized that a tiny ladder allowed us to go up onto the roof. From there we saw the most breathtaking view of Rome. We were able to see everything, every monument we had learned about, our home, our school. It was really amazing and we got onto the roof at around 4, so the sun was creating a glow around the city. You look down and see the Tiber water, with its blue grey color and cant help but feel humble. Pictures cannot do it justice. This is a touristy spot but the view makes it worth the price of admission. It was truly an experience seeing Rome from that angle.