Walks in Rome (Est. 2001)
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Walking Tours of Rome

Ponte Sant' Angelo


Map
Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome
Ponte Sant' Angelo

The Ponte Sant’ Angelo was constructed in 134, during the reign of the emperor Hadrian (r. 117-138). The bridge was first known as Pons Aelius and served as a triumphal approach from the city to the mausoleum that Hadrian (whose full name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus) had just had built. 

The bridge was later called the Pons Sancti Petri, as it was used by pilgrims to reach St Peter's Basilica. It was only at the end of the sixth century that it came to be known as the Ponte Sant' Angelo, following the transformation of the mausoleum into the Castel Sant’ Angelo. 


Only the central three arches belong to the original bridge, the other two arches were added at the end of the 19th century when the embankments were constructed. 

In 1667 Pope Clement IX (r. 1667-69) commissioned the great Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) to add ten statues of angels, bearing the Instruments of Christ's Passion, to the parapets of the bridge. Each angel stands on a pedestal, which bears an inscription in Latin.

Bernini carved two of the angels himself,* but farmed the rest of the work out to various fellow sculptors, including Ercole Ferrata, Cosimo Fancelli and Antonio Raggi. The master did, however, provide sketches and terracotta models of the whole series to ensure an acceptable degree of conformity.

​The ten angels are:
  • Angel with the Column by Antonio Raggi: TRONVS MEA IN COLVMNA (My throne is upon a column).
  • Angel with the Whips by Lazzaro Morelli: IN FLAGELLA PARATVS SVM (I am ready for the whip).
  • Angel with the Crown of Thorns by Paolo Naldini: IN AERVMNA MEA DVM CONFIGITVR SPINA (In my agony, while it is pierced with throns).
  • Angel with Veronica's Veil by Cosimo Fancelli: RESPICE IN FACIEM CHRISTI FVI (Look upon the face of thine anointed).
  • Angel with the Garment and Dice by Paolo Naldini: SVPER VESTEM MEAM MISERVNT SORTEM (They have cast lots for my garment). 
  • Angel with the Nails by Girolamo Lucenti: ASPICIANT AD ME QVEM CONFIXERVNT (Let them look upon me whom they have crucified).
  • Angel with the Cross by Ercole Ferrata: CVIVS  PRINCIPATVS SVPER HVMERVM EIVS (Whose lordship is upon his shoulder).
  • Angel with the Titulus by Giulio Cartari: REGNAVIT A LIGNO DEVS (God has reigned from a tree).
  • Angel with the Sponge by Antonio Giorgetti: POTAVERVNT ME ACETO (They have given me vinegar to drink). 
  • Angel with the Lance by Domenico Guidi: VVLNERASTI COR MEVM (Thou has wounded my heart).

In addition to the ten angels, there are two statues of Saint Peter by Lorenzetto (1490-1541) and Saint Paul by Paolo Romano (died after 1470). The statues of Rome's two patron saints were set up at the behest of Pope Clement VII (r. 1523-34) in 1534. The inscription below St Peter reads: HINC HVMILIBVS VENIA (Hence pardon for the humble) and that below St Paul: HINC RETRIBVTIO SVPERBIS (Hence retribution for the haughty). 
​
* The two statues that Bernini carved are now in the church of Sant' Andrea delle Fratte, having been replaced by copies. 

Gallery
'Angel with sponge' by Antonio Giorgetti, Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome
'Angel with Veronica's Veil' by Cosimo Fancelli, Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome
'Angel and the Titulus' by Giulio Cartari, Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome
'Angel with the Whips' by Lazzaro Morelli, Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome
'Angel with Cross' by Ercole Ferrata (1610-86), Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome
'Angel with Crown of Thorns' by Paolo Naldini
Statue of St Paul (1460) by Paolo Romano, Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome
Statue of St Peter by Lorenzetto (1490-1541), Ponte Sant' Angelo, Rome

walking Tours of Rome

Copyright © David Lown 2001-2022. All Rights Reserved. 
  • Home
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  • St Peter's Basilica
    • Altars >
      • Altar of St Joseph
      • Altar of St Gregory the Great
      • Altar of the Madonna of Succour
      • Altar of St Sebastian
      • Altar of the Lie
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    • Cathedra Petri
    • Crossing >
      • Baldacchino
      • Confessio
      • Dome
      • St Longinus
      • St Helena
      • St Veronica
      • St Andrew
    • St Peter
    • Chapel of the Choir
    • Chapel of the Baptistery
    • Nave
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    • North Wall
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    • Ceiling: Part One >
      • Ceiling: Part Two
      • Ceiling: Part Three
    • The Last Judgement
  • Fountains
    • Trevi Fountain
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    • Fountain of the Triton
    • Fountain of the Bees
    • Fountain of Moses
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    • Fountain of the Turtles
    • Fountain of the Naiads
    • Fountain of the Cannonball
    • Fountain of the Four Lions
    • Fountain of the Pantheon
    • Fountains of Piazza Farnese
    • Fountain of the Goddess Roma
    • Rioni Fountains
    • Street Fountains
    • Venice Marries the Sea
    • Fountains of St Peter's Square
    • Fountain of the Moor
    • Fountain of Neptune
    • Fountain of the Porter
    • Fountain of the Seahorses
  • Churches
    • Chiesa del Gesù >
      • Cappella di Sant' Ignazio
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      • Cappella Bufalini
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    • Santa Maria in Domnica
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      • Cappella Altemps
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    • Santa Maria sopra Minerva >
      • Cappella Carafa
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    • Santa Prassede
    • Santa Sabina >
      • Chapel of St Catherine
      • Chapel of St Hyacinth
    • Santa Susanna
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    • Santi Domenico e Sisto
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    • Santissimo Nome di Maria
  • Forum
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    • Castel Sant' Angelo
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    • Porta Maggiore
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    • Portico of Octavia
    • Pyramid of Cestius
    • Temple of Hadrian
    • Temple of Hercules
    • Temple of Mars Ultor
    • Temple of Portunus
    • Theatre of Marcellus
    • Tomb of Caecilia Metella
    • Via Appia
  • Obelisks
    • 'Minerveo' Obelisk
    • 'Flaminio' Obelisk
    • 'Matteiano' Obelisk
    • 'Lateran' Obelisk
    • 'Dogali' Obelisk
    • 'Macuteo' Obelisk
    • 'Solare' Obelisk
    • 'Vatican' Obelisk
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    • 'Quirinale' Obelisk
    • 'Esquiline' Obelisk
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    • 'Mediceo' Obelisk
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    • 'Mussolini' Obelisk
    • 'Marconi' Obelisk
  • Mosaics
    • S. Agnese fuori le Mura
    • S. Cecilia in Trastevere
    • S. Clemente
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    • S. Lorenzo fuori le Mura
    • S. Marco
    • S. Maria in Domnica
    • S. Maria in Trastevere
    • S. Maria Maggiore
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  • Gallery
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    • Fountains
    • Old Photographs
    • Palaces
    • Papal Coats of Arms
    • Street Shrines
  • Vatican Museums
    • Borgia Apartment
    • Cappella Niccolina
    • Gallery of the Candelabras
    • Gallery of the Maps
    • Gallery of the Tapestries
    • 'Raphael' Tapestries
    • Stanza della Segnatura
    • Stanza di Eliodoro
    • Stanza dell' Incendio
  • Palazzi
    • Palazzo Barberini
    • Palazzo del Quirinale
    • Palazzo della Cancelleria
    • Palazzo della Consulta
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    • Palazzo Farnese
    • Palazzo Venezia
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    • Campo de' Fiori
    • Piazza del Campidglio
    • Piazza del Popolo
    • Piazza del Quirinale
    • Piazza Navona
    • Piazza San Pietro
  • Miscellaneous
    • A Calendar of Saints
    • Cloisters
    • Domes
    • EUR
    • House of the Owls
    • Knights of Malta
    • 'Protestant' Cemetery
    • Quartiere Coppedè
    • Spanish Steps
    • 'Talking' Statues
    • Villa Borghese
    • Vittoriano