Castel Sant'Angelo - A castle in the heart of a city!

I had the afternoon free and decided to instead just look at the outside, I should see the inner chambres of the imfamous castle. It was a great way to beat the heat too!

The splendid fortress of Castel Sant'Angelo was originally built as a mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian in 139 CE. In the 10th Century CE it was transformed into a castle, then, 500 years later, into the elegant residence of Pope Alexander VI Borgia. Michelangelo designed the marvelous main court for Pope Leo X and many of the rooms inside are decorated with frescoes of great beauty. It is also been used to house prisoners, including the sculptor Benvenuto Cellini. The terrace offers a fine view of the river Tiber and opera lovers will know that this was where the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca (1900) took place. The building is now a museum with a fine collection of suits of armor. There wasnt too much to look at in terms of museum quality collectibles but the feeling you had in the castle was well worth the entry fee. There was a lovely snack bar at the top with tables available under a trellis of plants. The view from the terrace was really beautiful - you could see most of the major monuments of Rome from there. I am already designing my country home..