Passetto di Borgo, Secret passage in Borgo district, Rome, Italy
The Passetto di Borgo is an elevated stone corridor 800 meters long linking Vatican City with Castel Sant'Angelo through the Borgo district. The walkway runs above the rooftops of the neighborhood, offering views of the surrounding lanes from its narrow openings.
Pope Nicholas III commissioned the fortified walkway in 1277 to establish a protected link between the papal residence and the fortress. Later popes expanded and reinforced the walls, so the passage served as a refuge several times.
Visitors see the thick stone walls and narrow windows through which popes once looked down on the city while seeking refuge. The name Passetto connects with the idea of escape and papal shelter during times of danger.
The interior of the walkway is accessible only through guided tours during the summer months, as the narrow sections require supervision. Comfortable footwear helps on the uneven stone stairs that climb and descend between the two endpoints.
During the Sack of Rome in 1527, Pope Clement VII fled through this elevated corridor while the Swiss Guard fought attacking mercenaries below. Today an annual ceremony on May 6 honors the fallen guards who lost their lives in that defense.
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