15/10/2026
The secret escape tunnel.
Castel Sant’Angelo began as Emperor Hadrian’s tomb, but its most unique feature is the Passetto di Borgo, a fortified corridor about 800 meters long that runs along the top of a wall, connecting the castle directly to the Vatican.
In 1527, when imperial troops stormed Rome in the Sack of Rome, Pope Clement VII fled along the Passetto with only moments to spare. While the Swiss Guard fought and died in the streets below, he reached the castle and survived the siege inside. Nearly 150 of the Guard were killed that day, which is why new Swiss Guard recruits are sworn in every May 6, the anniversary of the sack.
The castle’s name has a story too. In 590, Pope Gregory the Great reportedly saw an angel sheathing its sword above the building, which signaled the end of a plague. The bronze angel on top today commemorates that vision.
The Passetto was mostly closed to the public for centuries, though it has opened for guided tours in recent years, so check ahead if you want to walk it.
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