Which Roman bridge, built in 134 AD, is also known as the Bridge of Hadrian?

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Ponte Sant'Angelo is the Roman bridge built in 134 AD that is also known as the Bridge of Hadrian.

Emperor Hadrian commissioned the bridge to connect the Campus Martius with his newly built mausoleum, now known as Castel Sant'Angelo. The bridge crosses the Tiber in central Rome and originally had a different name linked to Hadrian's reign.

Its present name comes from the statue of the archangel Michael placed atop the mausoleum. In 590, according to Christian tradition, Pope Gregory the Great saw the archangel sheathing his sword there, symbolizing the end of a plague outbreak. The bridge's medieval religious associations helped preserve its importance.

The bridge is often confused with Rome's older Ponte Fabricio or the ancient Ponte Milvio. Its row of angel sculptures dates from the Baroque period, not from the original Roman construction; Bernini designed the angels, although most of the statues visible today are copies.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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