Museo Ponte Sant Angelo

It was built in peperino and faced with travertine and had three arches, which could be accessed via ramps from the shore. The ramps were in turn supported by three minor arches on the left bank and two on the right bank, towards Hadrian's mausoleum, which were destroyed in 1893 when the river embankments were being built and replaced by modern arches.

In July 472 it was used by the Gothic troops of the magister militum Ricimer to attack the eastern part of the city, defended by the Roman emperor Anthemius. In the Middle Ages it was used by pilgrims on their way to St. Peter's Basilica and was also known by the name of "St. Peter's bridge" (pons Sancti Petri). In the 6th century under Pope Gregory the Great, it took the name of "Ponte Sant'Angelo" from the Castel Sant'Angelo (originally Hadrian's mausoleum). During the jubilee of 1450 the balustrades of the bridge gave way due to the great crowd of pilgrims and 172 people died.