Visitors to the Italian capital this past summer might have felt a tinge of disappointment as numerous landmarks were obscured by scaffolding, part of the city’s extensive preparations for the Jubilee Year 2025. Now, however, these efforts are beginning to bear fruit, with iconic monuments revealing their newly restored splendor—such as the Bridge of Angels.
Strolling near the Castel Sant’Angelo, one can already admire the initial results of completed restoration works. Under the warm autumn sun, the view is even more enchanting. This renewal is particularly significant given the steady stream of tourists passing by the historic fortress and the anticipated influx of pilgrims who will make their way along this route towards St. Peter’s Basilica during the Jubilee celebrations.
The Bridge of Angels (Ponte Sant’Angelo) is a five-arch bridge spanning the Tiber River in central Rome, adjacent to the Castel Sant’Angelo. Built in 134 CE by Emperor Hadrian, the bridge originally served as a passage to the imperial mausoleum constructed on the right bank of the Tiber. Initially known as the Aelian Bridge or Hadrian’s Bridge, its name was changed during the pontificate of Pope Gregory I, coinciding with the renaming of Hadrian’s Mausoleum to the Castel Sant’Angelo.
In the 16th century, Pope Clement VII commissioned statues of St. Peter, St. Paul, and twelve patriarchs to adorn the bridge, crafted by Raffaello da Montelupo. These were later replaced in the 17th century by the exquisite statues of angels, ordered by Pope Clement IX and sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his collaborators. Today, the Bridge of Angels stands not only as a functional crossing but also as a masterpiece of art and history, connecting the city’s ancient past with its vibrant present.
photo: fr. Marek Weresa / FamilyNewsService
photo: fr. Marek Weresa / FamilyNewsService