Recently I was surfing my library of photos (which as an everyday tourist I do quite often) and found several in Italy of a bridge with a series of angel statues. I recalled being impressed by detail of the sculptures and thinking it was like the “Stations of the Cross” one would see in a Catholic church. I always meant to look up who the story behind the bridge and the statues when I got home, but never did.

Until now! Yes ten years later, I finally look up the history behind the bridge and the angels.

We arrived just as the sun was shinning on the bridge, giving both the bridge and statues a surreal golden aura.

Pone Sant’Angelo Bridge History

Turns out the bridge, Pone Sant’Angelo, is one of Rome’s most famous and oldest. Roman Emperor Hadrian had the bridge constructed in 136 CE (the term Common Era has replaced BC in recognition that in today’s world fewer people believe in Jesus Christ) to enable access to his tomb from the city center. Yep the guy thought ahead.

The bridge was originally called Aelian Bridge or Pons Aelius. It is one of two ancient Tiber River bridges built by the Romans that still survive today.

Pope Clement VII erected statues of Saints Peter and Paul, in the 16th century at the ends of the bridge. However, it Pope Clement IX who commissioned artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1669 to sculpt angels along the entire bridge. Today this pedestrian bridge offers a unique pedestrian experience and a spectacular view of Castel Sant'Angelo.

Indeed, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Calgarians need to remember that.

Angel Stories

**Angel Carrying the Column**
This angel carries a column that represents the pillar to which Christ was chained while being whipped. You can also see the inscription: “My throne is upon a column.”

**Angel Carrying the Sudarium**
The angel is seen displaying Veronica's Veil, left with the impression of Jesus' face after it was used to wipe the sweat and blood from his face as he carried the cross to his crucifixion. The inscription reads, "Look upon the face of your Christ". The base of this angel has been dented by a cannonball discharged during the papal defense of the Vatican in 1870.

Angel Carrying the Garment and Dice
Sculpted by Paolo Naldini, the statue represents the moment when Roman soldiers cast dice to determine who would receive Christ's seamless robe. The dice are held by the angel in the piece of cloth she clutches between her hands. “For my clothing, they cast lots," reads the inscription.

**Angel Carrying the Nails**
The nails used to stake Christ to the cross features in this sculpture. This angel is distinct in that her body is disproportionately huge in comparison to her head, her features are unusual and her face is slim. The angel's right hand extends to present a nail, while her left hand holds two more nails. “They will look upon me whom they have pierced," reads the inscription.

**Angel Carrying the Cross**
Sculpted by Ercole Ferrata, the inscription on this statue reads, “Dominion rests on his shoulders". The cross represents the cross that Christ was forced to carry through Jerusalem before being crucified. The sculpture is inferior to the others on the bridge in that it appears to be a two-dimensional relief sculpture rather than an unbounded three-dimensional artwork.

When To Visit

Spring and Fall are the best times to visit Rome. We visited in October and the weather was lovely and not as crowded as the in the summer. The Castel Sant'Angelo it open 9am to 7:30 pm year-round, except for January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.