This tour offers an enlightening journey through Castel Sant’Angelo, exploring its transformation from an imperial mausoleum to a papal fortress, prison, and museum—while uncovering its lesser-known LGBTQ+ historical connections.

The monument was built between AD 134 and 139 as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian and his family. Hadrian’s life is inseparable from his profound bond with Antinous, a young Greek man who became his beloved companion. After Antinous’ death in Egypt, Hadrian deified him and established a cult that spread across the Roman Empire, commissioning statues, temples, and sanctuaries in his honor. Castel Sant’Angelo stands as a lasting reminder of this imperial devotion and mourning.

In 590 AD, during a devastating plague, legend tells that Pope Gregory the Great witnessed the Archangel Michael appearing atop the mausoleum, sheathing his sword as a sign of divine mercy. From that moment, the building became known as Castel Sant’Angelo, marking its transition from pagan monument to Christian stronghold.

Over the centuries, the castle became a crucial papal refuge during wars and sieges. In the 12th century, the fortified corridor known as the Passetto di Borgo was constructed, secretly connecting the Vatican to the castle, allowing popes to escape in times of danger.

Castel Sant’Angelo also served as one of Rome’s most feared prisons. Among its most famous inmates was Benvenuto Cellini, the 16th-century sculptor and goldsmith. Cellini’s life openly challenged social norms: historical accounts describe his attraction to the male body, his relationships with young men, and his bisexual experiences, alongside his acknowledged heterosexual relationships. His imprisonment here adds another queer layer to the castle’s complex history.

Today, Castel Sant’Angelo is a national museum showcasing papal apartments, military architecture, and artistic treasures. It also remains part of the Pope’s ceremonial residences. The visit unfolds across six levels, including:

• The Underground Prisons, expanded under Pope Alexander VI

• The Olearie, former food storage areas

• The Courtyard of Pope Leo X, linked to papal bathing rituals

• The Bath Chamber, decorated with frescoes of mythological creatures

• The Passetto di Borgo, the fortified escape route to the Vatican

• The National Museum, featuring sculptures, frescoes, weapons, and decorative arts

Through imperial love, religious power, repression, and survival, this tour reveals Castel Sant’Angelo as a place where queer history, authority, and symbolism have intersected for nearly two millennia.