4. Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome
Also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Castel Sant’Angelo is probably the most easily approachable location in Italy’s capital city. To date, it is one of the oldest fortifications in the country as it was constructed between 123 and 139 AD.
Initially, the building was used as a tomb, given that Hadrian’s ashes were deposed in the fortification. The place was later on transformed into a castle by Pope Nicholas III who also connected the famous St Peter’s Basilica to the fortification via a corridor. The Castel Sant’Angelo was eventually utilized as a prison, and Giordano Bruno was one of the captives held here for as many as six years.
All of these bad memories are no longer a part of the present because the castle is currently used as a museum.
