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Castle of Saint Angel


Castle of Saint Angel
Photo Information
Copyright: Silvio Sorcini (Silvio1953) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3354 W: 146 N: 3371] (29178)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-10-19
Categories: Castles, Architecture
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/10 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Photowalk in Rome, Italian castles [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-10-20 5:41
Viewed: 546
Points: 76
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Italian]
Castel Sant'Angelo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum.

The tomb of the Roman emperor Hadrian was erected on the right bank of the Tiber, between 135 and 139. Originally the mausoleum was a decorated cylinder, with a garden top and golden quadriga. Hadrian's ashes were placed here a year after his death in Baiae in 138, together with those of his wife Sabina, and his first adopted son, Lucius Aelius, who also died in 138. Following this, the remains of succeeding emperors were also placed here, the last recorded deposition being Caracalla in 217. The urns containing these ashes were probably placed in what is now known as the Treasury room deep within the building. Hadrian also built the Pons Aelius facing straight onto the mausoleum – it still provides a scenic approach from the center of Rome and the right bank of the Tiber, and is renowned for the Baroque additions of statuary of angels holding aloft elements of the Passion of Christ.

Much of the tomb contents and decoration has been lost since the building's conversion into a military fortress in 401 and inclusion by Flavius Augustus Honorius in the Aurelian Walls. The urns and ashes were scattered by Visigothic looters in Alaric's sack of Rome in 410, and the original decorative bronze and stone statuary was thrown down upon the attacking Goths when they besieged Rome in 537, as recounted by Procopius. An unusual survival, however, is the capstone of a funerary urn (most probably that of Hadrian), which made its way to Saint Peter's Basilica and was recycled in a massive Renaissance baptistery. That spolia from the tomb had been used in the post-Roman period was already noted in the 16th century - Giorgio Vasari writes:

...in order to build churches for the use of the Christians, not only were the most honoured temples of the idols [ie pagan Roman gods] destroyed, but in order to ennoble and decorate Saint Peter's with more ornaments than it then possessed, they took away the stone columns from the tomb of Hadrian, now the castle of Sant'Angelo, as well as many other things which we now see in ruins.[1]

Legend holds that the Archangel Michael appeared atop the mausoleum, sheathing his sword as a sign of the end of the plague of 590, thus lending the castle its present name.

The popes converted the structure into a castle, from the 14th century; Pope Nicholas III connected the castle to St. Peter's Basilica by a covered fortified corridor called the Passetto di Borgo. The fortress was the refuge of Pope Clement VII from the siege of Charles V's Landsknecht during the Sack of Rome (1527), in which Benvenuto Cellini describes strolling the ramparts and shooting enemy soldiers.

Leo X built a chapel with a fine Madonna by Raffaello da Montelupo. In 1536 Montelupo also created a marble statue of Saint Michael holding his sword after the 590 plague (as described above) to surmount the Castel.[2] Later Paul III built a rich apartment, to ensure that in any future siege the Pope had an appropriate place to stay.

Montelupo's statue was replaced by a bronze statue of the same subject, executed by the Flemish sculptor Peter Anton von Verschaffelt, in 1753. Verschaffelt's is still in place, though Montelupo's can be seen in an open court in the interior of the Castle.

The Papal state also used Sant'Angelo as a prison; Giordano Bruno, for example, was imprisoned there for six years. Executions were made in the small interior square. As a prison, it was also the setting for the third act of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca from whose ramparts the eponymous heroine of the opera leaps to her death.

Decommissioned in 1901, the castle is now a museum, the Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo.

The Castel Sant'Angelo appeared in Dan Brown's 2000 novel Angels and Demons. The location was the secret lair for the Hassassin and was seen as the last existing church of the Illuminati.

The castle appeared in the film Roman Holiday in a scene taking place on barges on the river below.

In Puccini's opera, Tosca, the Castel is where Cavaradossi is held prisoner. After murdering Scarpia in his private room at the Palazzo Farnese, Floria Tosca goes to the Castel Sant' Angelo, safe conducts in hand, where her lover, Mario Cavaradossi is to be executed. She has been led to believe it will be a mock execution and is horrified to find her lover dead. Rather than be arrested by Scarpia's henchmen, she throws herself from the rooftop.
isabela_sor, Gerrit, Tashy, besnard, PaulVDV, npecanhuk, ellelloo, ilDottore, danos, gracious, meb, Sne011, Cricri, chpp, emjleclercq, elendim, AiresSantos, jaywalker, giorgimer has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To meb: BruscoliniSilvio1953 1 10-21 05:53
To polpo56: SinistraSilvio1953 1 10-20 14:13
To cobra112: penneSilvio1953 1 10-20 12:10
To Clementi: StorniSilvio1953 1 10-20 11:53
To Clementi: GrazieSilvio1953 1 10-20 11:47
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Critiques [Translate]

ciao Silvio,
stavo per commentare la tua altra foto notturna su TL ma poi ho pensato che sicuramente ne avrei trovata una su TE - e infatti eccola qui! e devo dirti che anche dopo tanti anni lontana da Roma, la mia citta', vedere qs. immagini mi riscalda sempre il cuore.
mi piacciono molto i colori caldi che hai dato alla pietra, e la prospettiva e' delle mie preferite.
grzie per aver condiviso quest'angolo meraviglioso e cosi ricco di storia di Roma.

A superb blue hour shot
Of course also the building impresses us with this majesty
All the best
Isabela

Hi Silvio,
This picture is a masterpiece,very nice scenery.
great composiiton and nice sharpness,
Georg

Hi Silvio
This is an amazing night shot. The composition is nice too with a perfect symetry.
The light is well managed
EXcellent
Bertrand

  • Great 
  • Gerrit Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4488 W: 90 N: 5862] (28338)
  • [2008-10-20 6:16]

Hi Silvio,
clear and beautiful nightshot. The POV is the right one.
Beautiful colors.
REgards, Gerrit

Ciao Silvio,
bellissima immagine, bel soggetto e perfetta simmetria, ma soprattutto ottiuma scelta del momento e del mix tra luce naturale ed artificiale.
Saluti.
Francesco

Grande Silvio , complimenti hai catturato perfettamente castel sant'angelo e la condizione di luce che più mi piace , ciao e alla prossima.
Stefano.

  • Great 
  • Tashy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 88 W: 56 N: 187] (563)
  • [2008-10-20 7:19]

Ciao Silvio.

Questa fotografia è belissima. Mi piace molto. Complimenti.

Cordiali saluti,

Staša.

Sawaddee krap Lung Silvio
i just learn about using filter, you have make very nice picture and i like that dark blue background, nice position of view, it is look like stadium, and nice composition, very well done TFS

Best Regards
Chirasak

Bonjour Silvio
Un joli cliché nocturne avec une bonne gestion de la lumière. Le pont conduit le regard jusqu'au château.
Merci pour le partage et bonne fin de journée.
Nicole

Ciao Silvio
Splendido Notturno
a coronamento di una piacevolissima giornata
Bye Bye

Ciao Silvio.
Bella prospettiva centrale e piacevole combinazione di colori caldi freddi. L'atmosfera è autentica e gradevole.
Un saluto
Renzo

Hello Silvio,
Good capture of this road with the statues leading to the Castle Sant'Angelo. Nice colours.
Best regards, Paul

Ciao Silvio,
A lovely blue hour photo! a very good POV. The Castel Sant'Angelo and the statues of the bridge nicely contrast on the still blue sky. The atmosphere is fantastic. Excellent control of light. Complimenti!
Un saluto,
Lasse

Ciao Silvio,
Just fantastic shot with very ineresting story.
I like the colours, sharpness and absolutely spotless composition.
Best Regards!
Chris

Mi hai appennicato Castel Sant'Angelo. Poco male. La resa generale è fantastica per propettiva e colori. Hai visto il Vincenzo come si diletta con le artiste di strada.....?


Roberto

  • Great 
  • danos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3821 W: 85 N: 5851] (22586)
  • [2008-10-20 12:52]

Ciao Silvio,
fine your image taken at the most perfect time of the day,the blue hour. I don't think you could better the quality or the sharpness, they are just outstanding. It's a superb capture,with the depth of field of the Castel Sant'Angelo to be impressive.Well done.

Regards,Danos

Ciao Silvio,
Scatto classico ma ben fatto, ottima la luce e l'esposzione.
ciao
andrea

Ciao Silvio,
sembrava la torre di Pisa, ma quella è più alta e pende a destra. Dalla mole circolare traggo conferma che trattasi di mole Adrianea, più nota come Castel Sant'angelo: non c'è niente da fare, tu continui a buttarti a sinistra ma fai bene, bisogna mantenere le proprie idee.
Bellissima luce e prospettiva, da vera ora blu.
Ludo

Ciao Silvio
Mi unisco aquianto detto da a Renzo, come si usa in casi autoevidenti, per non ripetersi.
Aggiungo che è simpatico il Ws. Ma eravato dopo un'ora dallo scatto in rimpatri e facezie piacevoli.
Questi meeting hanno quì parte del loro fascino-
Un salutone ( ma la troveremo una quercia anche noi anzi la stamo cercando)
Baddori

Ciao Silvio,
davvero una bella rappresentazione notturna del castel Sant'Angelo.
Il riflesso delle luci sulla pavimentazione del ponte (quale via d'accesso), contribuisce a dare una buona profondità di campo.

Sarebbe stata una foto perfetta se non fosse per quella pendenza sulla sinistra.
Non è per trovarti il pelo nell'uovo, ma credo sia giusto fartelo notare.

Ti auguro una buona notte.
Francesco

Ciao Silvio,
Many thanks for such beautiful image of this great place in blue hour!
the pov is great with excellent sharpness, wonderful colouration and superb details
very pleasing image
well done
ciao
Tony

Ciao Silvio!
Traditional point of view, but always beautiful! I hadn't seen many at night, though, and yours is really well taken, excellent technical quality and a very pleasant result! I was there in the summer of 1999 and 2000! It was really hot, but I enjoyed it a lot! Good memory brought back by your fine image!
TFS - Congratulations!
Warmest regards,
Neyvan

ciao Silvio,
ottimo scatto con inquadratura centrale che dà simmetria e non toglie profondità all'immagine.
Il blu del cielo contrasta magnificamente con i colori caldi generati dalle luci creando un ottimo mix . Bravo...come sempre
buona giornata
maurizio

  • Great 
  • meb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 51 W: 15 N: 71] (716)
  • [2008-10-21 2:52]
  • [+]

Ciao Silvio,
questa l'ho fatta anch'io, ma la mia è... mossetta... (non avevo treppiedi, acc!).
Bellissima conclusione della passeggiata. E che nota! Qui non "lucean le stelle" ma i lampioni!
Alla prossima
Marica

ps l'hai finiti i bruscolini?

Ciao Silvio,
un decimo di secondo e hai ottenuto uno scatto cosi' pulito? Devi avere braccia e mani di pietra, io nonostante tutti gli stabilizzatori del mondo non ce la faccio proprio.
Composizione molto classica, quello che mi incuriosisce e' vedere l'interpretazione Nikon dei colori, sempre molto piu' calda e pastosa di quella Canon. Interessante, dario.

Ciao Silvio,

Bellissima imagine di questo splendido castelo,
Bella foto noturna,con ottimi colori
ed iluminosita,
saluti,
Costantino

Ciao Silvio,
Very good work, I always love to see blue hour in combination with golden lights and amazing architecture. Perfect!
Buona giornata
Sneza

Ciao Silvio,
maestoso centrato ben gestite le luci nonostante i 3200 iso ma leggermente pendente a sinistra....
guarda nel ws.
Giorgio

  • Great 
  • Cricri Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4922 W: 232 N: 6897] (32608)
  • [2008-10-21 9:05]

Cioa Silvio
Quel note et quel légende!!!
Et quelle belle image de ce château particulier a l'heure bleu, une jolie entrée vers l'entrée avec les statues et le sol de vielles pierres brillante sous le feux des lumiéres
Good evening for you
cricri

  • Great 
  • chpp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 616 W: 51 N: 667] (3281)
  • [2008-10-21 10:17]

Hi,
very nice shot, I like the POV and the fact that ther is no so many people on the bridge. good exposure and quality
TFS
C

Ciao Silvio.
Questa foto è veramente ottima.
Ho notato che l'equilibrio di luci e ombre è perfetto. Non c'è niente che sia troppo sotto o sovra esposto. Nella parte alta del castello ls finestra al centro appare ben riprodotta. Di solito (almeno a me) tali dettagli riescono con difficoltà.
La nota a margine è molto esauriente.
Congratulazioni. A presto

Castlle San Angelo is alwways for me very symbloic of troubles times in Rome (in the olden days, I have read that the Pope used to go there in times of trouble in the city) but this is one gives the impression of more peacefull time.

All the best,

Emmanuel

Hi Silvio,
The magical light and the strong colours resulted in a very attractive image. Well done.
Best wishes,
Achim

Perfect night shot Silvio!
Great colors and composition!

Elena!

Ciao Silvio
Fine view of the Saint Angel Castle in the blue hour.
Beautiful colours, excellent POV and light well handled
TFS and have a nice day
Aires

Hi Silvio, WOW what can I say, stunning quality & sharp detail, the two statues are wonderfully highlighted by the blue hour background, A great piece of architecture in this beautifully symmetrical shot, kind regards Wilson.

Ciao Silvio,
sono rimasto assente da TE per stanchezza accumulata sul lavoro e mi sono perso molti dei tuoi post.
Ora comincio da questo notturno che mi sembra perfetto e all'altezza di sicuro di altri eseguiti da Giorgio e Ludo.
La perfezione tecnica e pulizia raggiunta è sbalorditiva.
Secondo il mio modesto parere uno dei tuoi migliori post.
Cogratulazioni doverose e meritate.
Un abbraccio
Mario

Ciao Silvio,

un monumento meraviglioso, ritratto in un modo meraviglioso, mi piace il modo in cui le statue del ponte S.Angelo conducono il nostro sguardo verso questo bellissimo capolavoro! Dritto filato nel mio tema dei castelli italiani.

Bravo!

Gio

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