Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo
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Due to its unique features, Castel Sant’Angelo can be considered a monument, an archaeological area and a museum at the same time. The building has had an extremely varied use during its complex history: after being erected as an imperial mausoleum, it later became a fortified residence, prison and, finally, a monument-museum.
Built in the second century AD by the Roman emperor Hadrian as a funeral mausoleum for himself and his family, the monument – known here as Mole Adriana – was later included in the city walls of Rome and transformed into a sort of fortress for defending the city, acquiring the epithet of castellum. In the early mediaeval period, it also took on the name of sancti Angeli thanks to a legend, according to which, in 590, Pope Gregory the Great had a vision of the archangel Michael here, who sheathed his sword, symbolising the end of the plague that afflicted the city.
Its proximity to San Pietro, its strategic position, its closed interiors and its imposing size made Castel Sant’Angelo the centre of political interests. Its fate was inseparably linked to that of the Church when the keys of the building were handed over to Pope Urban V in 1367, to urge him to return to Rome from exile in Avignon.
Since then, numerous architectural interventions have been carried out with the aim of strengthening its defensive structure on the one hand, with the construction of the ramparts and the pentagonal wall, and, on the other, to make it an increasingly magnificent papal residence, reaching the peak of its splendour under Paul III Farnese (1534-1549).
Starting in the seventeenth century, Castel Sant’Angelo gradually lost its role as a papal residence and became almost exclusively a political prison. After being included in the Italian State property in 1870 as a military prison and barracks, it became a National Museum in 1925. At that time, extensive works had already begun to reorganise and restore the site, acquire works and collections and set up various rooms.
Opening times
*Last admission at 18:30
Closed
on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January (except for extraordinary openings planned by the MiC)
Rates*
€ 16,00 FULL
€ 2,00 REDUCED(for citizens of the European Union between 18 and 25 years old)
Concessions allowed by law: for the full list of concessions, visit the MiC page https://cultura.gov.it/agevolazioni)
*the entrance ticket includes a visit to the exhibition “Mastroianni. Ieri, Oggi, Sempre” (running until 12/01/2025)
First Sunday of the month: free access, no reservation required.
NOTICE
Visitors are informed that the Passetto di Borgo is currently closed to the public for restoration.
Please be advised that beginning Tuesday, September 10, the café at Castel Sant’Angelo will be undergoing renovation and refurbishment for the next four months. During this period, the café will be closed to the public and is set to reopen with a brand-new look.
Visitors are informed that from Tuesday, December 3 the circular path through the ambulatory of the ground floor of Castel Sant’Angelo may undergo deviations and modifications, to allow the execution of PNRR works aimed at improving the accessibility of the spaces of the Castle, for the benefit of all audiences. The works will last for 14 months. During this period, you can start the visit by entering directly to the Dromos, in front of the entrance, and then proceeding with the usual route through the ramp leading to the courtyard of the Angel. The staff of the Museum is available for any information and assistance.
Tickets for December 2024 will be available from Monday 25 November 2024.
Tickets for January and February 2025 will be available from Wednesday 11 December 2024.
Ticket booking is recommended every day and in particular on holidays and weekends (Saturday and Sunday).
To buy tickets click HERE
The ticket will be personal. When purchasing the ticket, each visitor must provide their personal details.
At the entrance, the visitor must show
– the personal ticket;
– an original identity document.
⚠️ Access will not be granted if the data provided do not match to the identity document. In this case, no refund will be given.
Change of name for Tickets
A single name change is permitted for tickets purchased online or through the call centre.
The change must be made 24 hours before the day of the visit
🎓 Rules for School Tickets
No personal data tickets are requested for schools, it will be enough to show a list of students and their companions, stamped and signed by the school institute.
It will be mandatory to indicate the name of the school to which the booking refers.
🎧 Mandatory use of radioguides
For groups of 10 to 20 people included and for school class groups , the use of radioguides is mandatory. These can be hired at a cost of €2 per person.
Groups
For all groups, visits are scheduled at the following time slots
09.00-10.00
11.00-12.00
13.00-14.00
15.00-16.00
17.00-18.00
for a maximum of 200 people foe each slot
Please note: It is recommended to respect the deadlines information indicated for names changes and to be sure that the required documents are updated in order to avoid inconveniences during the access.
Free Sundays and free admission days
On these occasions, no tickets will be reserved online. All visitors, individuals and groups, will stand in a single queue to collect their free ticket, with no personal data ,at the ticket office.
Call center: + 39 06 399 671 00 The service is active from 9.00 to 18.00 from Monday to Friday and from 9.00 to 14.00 on Saturdays
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INFORMATION VALID UNTIL 30 NOVEMBER 2024:
+39 06 32810 (Monday-Friday 9:30–18:00)
https://www.gebart.it/musei/museo-nazionale-di-castel-santangelo
Castel Sant’Angelo is part of the Roma Pass network.
Ticket reservations are recommended on public holidays and weekends (Saturdays and Sundays).
GROUPS AND SCHOOLS
On normal opening days, bookings are required for groups of more than 15 people. Access for groups without bookings will be subject to quota rules for security reasons.
Information and booking for groups: info@tosc.it
For all groups, visiting slots are in the following timeframes:
Access to groups accompanied by their own licensed tour guide is permitted for a maximum of 20 people (in addition to the guide), only if equipped with radio guidance systems (whisper).
Entrance with whispers is mandatory for groups of 8 people or more accompanied by a tour guide.
Schoolchildren can enter in groups of maximum:
On days with free admission, where booking is not required, guided tours and organised groups are allowed. They enter by waiting in line in accordance with the procedures provided (1 guide for every 20 people for organised groups, 1 guide for every 15 students for upper secondary schools, 1 guide for every 10 students for pre-school, primary and lower secondary schools). The speed of the line will depend on the quota rules necessary for safety reasons, which set a maximum number of people that can be present in the museum spaces at the same time.
During evening events, which start at 19:30, the visit route may be subject to changes or restrictions and access for groups is not allowed.
ACCESSIBILITY
Limited access to a partial use of outdoor spaces for visitors with disabilities.
There is no cloakroom service.
It is not permitted to introduce animals.
Email:
Director:
Massimo Osanna
Phone +39 06 6819111
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