For our second time, Bucky, Reshma, and I entered Castel Sant’Angelo to buy the tickets to walk around and see the fortress. Bucky and my first attempt was when we were told entrance alone would be fourteen euro each, however, we were advised that between 9-11 am the price is reduced to only five euro in which we, of course, jumped on. From the outside, it resembled a medieval, fortified castle much like what I have seen in America. Nonetheless, this monument had much more to offer due to its layering of utilitarian use that correlated with the time period.
The majority of our time spent here was walking up and down stairs and getting cut-off by random blockades placed by the staff. We utilized our traditional and most basic method of viewing, wondering, to decide where we went. Poor directional cues and misleading signs made for a choppy and incohesive experience while the walking room to room. There was also very poor signage in that we never really knew what we were looking at if it wasn’t pertinent to the structure itself such as what a specific room was used for. The massive, bulky grandeur of the building’s exterior is consistent with the majority of its interior, yet, there is a handful of hand-crafted, beautifully designed rooms deep within the castle that conflict.
Approximately our first twenty minutes of walking consisted of the outermost layer of the castle that seemed to spiral around the perimeter. Everything was dark and dusty as if we were going through stone tunnels. There were holes cut out of the walls along the left-hand side that allowed natural light to pour through. When peering out we noticed they lead to outdoor patio-type spaces that were typically filled with cannons and stacks of cannonballs for firing away from the castle. Walking up and around the outer shell it was obvious that its main purpose was protection. Loads of artillery and cut-outs for shooting at incoming enemies. This all makes sense as the most recent model was used as a fortress.
To this day I cannot comprehend the lay-out or mapping of this castle. I can tell you what it looked like from the outside and what individual rooms looked like, but how to get from point A to point B inside of it, not a chance. All I know is that no matter which direction you are going, you are walking up stairs or turning left or right. Despite this, you are able to walk through the repurposing and layering of the monument and take note of how its function changed and how it visually changed. Deep in the center, we discovered Hadrian’s mausoleum which was the building’s original intent. His tomb was large and bulky and rested inside an open room that required an indoor bridge to reach. There wasn’t much to see beyond that until you venture further out into the papal additions. The rooms created by the papacy were extravagant and at the time seemingly unfit with the remainder of the castle. The ceilings and floors were decadent and the walls were highly decorated with art and gold. Despite Hadrian’s history, they seemed to have completely taken over the mausoleum and made it their own. The pope’s name was tagged on every single doorway so that no one could forget to give him credit for the fortress and its usefulness. Despite the diversity and play among differing years (and ultimately societal ideals), my favorite part of the fortress was the views of the cityscape you get to experience once reaching the top. It is not simply a straight shot up, nor could I tell you how I did it, but it was worth all of the directionless walking.
(Castel Sant’Angelo, 6/4/19)
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