Passetto di Borgo, Secret passage in Borgo district, Rome, Italy
The Passetto di Borgo stretches 800 meters along an elevated corridor connecting Vatican City with Castel Sant'Angelo through the Borgo neighborhood.
Pope Nicholas III ordered the construction of this fortified passage in 1277, creating a protected route between the papal residence and the fortress.
The Vatican Swiss Guard conducts an annual ceremony on May 6 to commemorate their fallen members who defended this corridor in 1527.
The passage opens for guided tours during summer months, allowing visitors to walk through centuries of papal history between two major Roman landmarks.
During the 1527 Sack of Rome, Pope Clement VII escaped through this elevated corridor while his Swiss Guards fought against mercenary forces below.
Location: Borgo
Inception: 1277
Length: 800 m
Made from material: stone
Address: 00193 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy 00193 Rome
Phone: +390639967100
Website: http://castelsantangelo.beniculturali.it/index.php?it/108/25-passetto-di-borgo
GPS coordinates: 41.90333,12.46167
Latest update: May 31, 2025 07:58
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