15th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science

Monday, October 5, 2009, at 19.15

Castel S. Angelo, whose imposing mass still dominates the panorama of Rome, and which is known as the Mole Adriana, was not originally built for defensive purposes but as the funeral monument of the emperors. A new bridge (called Pons Aelms from the nomen of the emperor), which still exists as Ponte S. Angelo, was built to put the monument in communication with the Campus Martius. Most of the structural parts of the Mausoleum, which was incorporated into Castel S. Angelo in the Middle Ages, have been preserved. The building consisted of an enormous quadrangular with a cylindrical drum on the top flanked by radial walls. A tumulus of earth planted with trees rose up over the drum. Along the edges were decorative marble statues and at the centre, raised even higher up, was a podium with columns on top of which was a bronze quadriga with the statue of Hadrian.
In the 10th century it was transformed into a castle.
At the summit is the panoramic terrace, watched over by the Angel about to fly off, which seems to be why the building is called as it is, for the winged messenger is said to have saved Rome from a terrible plague at the time of Gregory the Great.