Ponte Sant'Angelo, Roman bridge in central Rome, Italy.
Ponte Sant'Angelo is a stone footbridge in central Rome that crosses the Tiber with five rounded arches between the old city and the Borgo district. The structure now serves only pedestrians and connects directly to Castel Sant'Angelo on the opposite bank.
Emperor Hadrian commissioned architect Decriannus to construct the crossing in 134 as a route to his mausoleum, today called Castel Sant'Angelo. After many people died when parapets failed during the 1450 Jubilee, the structure was rebuilt and reinforced.
The ten angel statues along the parapets hold objects related to the suffering of Christ, created in the 17th century following designs by Bernini. Pilgrims still walk across to reach St. Peter's Basilica, following a route that has led to the Vatican for centuries.
The crossing is open to foot traffic at all hours and offers one of the shortest routes from Rome's old center to the Vatican area. In the evening, lamps illuminate the angel figures and the paving can become slippery after rain.
Two of the angel statues originally placed here were carved by Bernini himself and later replaced with copies to protect the originals from weather damage. These two works now rest inside the church of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte.
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