New in Duckabroad: Castel Sant'Angelo

Photo by Henning Klokkeråsen

We just added one of Rome’s most fascinating landmarks to the app: Castel Sant’Angelo.

This place has lived many lives.

It started as Emperor Hadrian’s tomb in 139 AD. Then it became a fortress where soldiers literally threw marble statues at attacking armies when they ran out of ammunition. Then a papal bunker with a secret escape tunnel to the Vatican. Then a prison that held philosophers and sculptors. Now it’s a museum with one of the best rooftop views in Rome.

That’s a lot of history to pack into one building. And that’s exactly what makes it perfect for Duckabroad.

When you’re standing in front of Castel Sant’Angelo with your family, you don’t want a dry Wikipedia summary. You want to know the good stuff. Like how Pope Gregory the Great saw an angel on top of the building during a plague in 590 AD, and that’s why it’s called the “Castle of the Holy Angel.” Or how Pope Clement VII sprinted through the secret Passetto di Borgo corridor while his Swiss Guard died buying him time during the 1527 Sack of Rome.

These are the stories that make kids (and adults) actually remember what they saw.

What you’ll find in the app:

A full historical description written for families, covering everything from Hadrian’s original mausoleum to the Puccini opera set on its ramparts.

Practical tips on what to see inside, including the spiral ramp from Hadrian’s time, the papal apartments with Renaissance frescoes, and that incredible terrace view of St. Peter’s dome.

Trivia questions you can quiz your kids with while you’re there. (What did soldiers throw at the Goths in 537 AD? Marble statues. Who was imprisoned here for six years before being burned at the stake? Giordano Bruno.)

Castel Sant’Angelo joins our growing collection of Rome landmarks in the app. If you’re planning a trip to the Eternal City with kids, open up Duckabroad and start exploring.