Papal Power and Public Works in 15th-17th Century Rome
Manish Vaidya
The Tiber River has been Rome’s lifeline for millennia, and the bridges spanning it are integral to the city’s identity. Each bridge tells a tale of engineering and artistry, intertwined with papal power and political maneuvering that defined the landscape of early modern Rome. This essay will focus on the stories of two such bridges, Ponte Sisto and Ponte Sant’Angelo, exploring how their construction and embellishment in the 15th and 17th centuries respectively offers a fascinating glimpse into the dynamics of Papal power in the city during this dynamic period.
Ponte Sisto, connecting the Campo de’ Fiori area to the Trastevere area, is named after Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned its building. The bridge construction was completed in 1475. The bridge stands on the ruins of an earlier 4th century Roman bridge called Pons Aurelius1. It features a distinctive oculus, or “eye,” an architectural element designed to reduce pressure on the bridge during floods2. After its completion, this bridge provided pilgrims with an alternate route to St. Peter’s Basilica, bypassing the congested Ponte Sant’Angelo.
Ponte Sant’Angelo connects the rionis3 (districts) of Ponte and Borgo. It was erected by the emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century CE to allow access to his mausoleum from the rest of the city. Its current name, however, is more ancient and dates back to 590 CE. This is when, according to tradition, Pope Gregory I saw the archangel Michael on top of the Hadrian Mausoleum sheathing his sword. This was taken as the definitive sign to announce the end of the deadly plague that had been raging in Rome for two years4. This is when both the castle and the bridge were named Sant’Angelo. The Jubilee of the year of 1450 was marked by a tragedy on the bridge when it was being crossed by a throng of pilgrims coming and going to the Vatican, a wayward animal caused widespread panic, and the crowd pushed against the railings, making them collapse. Many people fell on the river and almost 200 pilgrims died. On this occasion, Pope Nicolò V ordered to place two statues at the entrance of the bridge, one devoted to Saint Mary Magdalene and one to the Holy Innocents. The statues remained there for less than a century because in 1533 Pope Clement VII had them replaced with two marble statues of Saints Paul and Peter that we can still see today.
Mapping the city of Rome has been an art and a skill that has evolved over the centuries. Both of these iconic bridges have been featured in several significant maps. References can be seen to the original Roman names for the bridges. One such reference appears in a map from 1573 created by Etienne DuPérac and published by Antonio Lafreri. Both the bridges are depicted under their original Latin names. The Ponte Sant’Angelo was labeled as “Pons Aelius,” commemorating Emperor Hadrian’s family name, while the Ponte Sisto was referred to as “Pons Lanicularis.”
Through maps, we can further explore the multifaceted role of bridges in Roman history and culture. In this 1575 depiction of Rome’s Seven Churches by Antoine Lafréry, the map conspicuously displays the Ponte Sant’Angelo but omits the Ponte Sisto. This omission might have been a deliberate strategy by urban planners to divert pilgrim traffic and prevent congestion, a concern likely heightened by the tragic overcrowding during the 1450 Jubilee. It is also likely that the bridge itself was depicted but misplaced in its location to be beyond the Tiber island, instead of being between the island and the Pont Sant’Angelo.
The analysis of these maps reveals a deep connection between Roman bridges and the city’s cultural fabric. Emperors, like Hadrian with his bridge linking his mausoleum to the city, and popes, exemplified by the construction of Ponte Sisto, utilized bridges to forge physical and symbolic connections. These structures served as crucial arteries, facilitating movement between St. Peter’s on the eastern bank and significant churches like the Lateran on the western side, solidifying the physical and spiritual unity of the city. Maps also tell a story of how the urban architecture of the city evolved over the years. We can see development of areas around the bridges and establishment of travel patterns.
Upon assuming power in 1471, Pope Sixtus IV encountered a Tiber River with only two remaining bridges: the Isola Tiberina bridges (ancient Pons Fabricius and Pons Cestius) and the Ponte Sant’Angelo at the Vatican. Recognizing an opportunity to solidify his authority, the Pope embarked on a significant project – the first bridge construction in Rome since antiquity. The bridge’s construction materials originated from a controversial source: the demolition of ancient structures. Notably, the Amphitheatrum de Summa In Sacra, located in Piazza Navona, was dismantled. This site, popular for its Wednesday market, provided Sixtus with a twofold benefit. He cleared space for the market’s continued operation while simultaneously acquiring building materials for the bridge. This endeavor likely garnered him favor with the local populace.
Securing funding for the bridge also proved challenging. After considerable negotiation between the Pope and the Roman authorities, funds were ultimately diverted from the University of Rome’s coffers, specifically the “gabella studii” (tax on education). The chosen location for the bridge held further strategic significance. Across the river resided many of the Pope’s allies. Following the bridge’s completion, the surrounding district witnessed a surge in lavish residential development, including magnificent palazzos like the Palazzo della Cancelleria, the Villa Farnese, and the Palazzo Farnese. In March 1473, the riverbanks were cleared, and on April 29 of that year, the foundation stone of the new bridge was laid. As documented in Stefano Infessura’s5 diary, an illustrious company gathered at the Tiber to witness Pope Sixtus IV personally laying the foundation stone. The Pope deposited a square stone with an inscription claiming credit for the bridge’s construction and placed a number of gold portrait medals alongside it. Therefore, the Ponte Sisto transcended its function as a mere infrastructure project. It served as a potent symbol of Sixtus IV’s authority within the city. The bridge’s construction allowed the Pope to secure funding from unconventional sources and indirectly spurred development across the Tiber. It also helped solidify his legacy since the inscription on the foundation stone replaced the bridge’s former name, “Ponte Rotto” (Broken Bridge), with “Ponte Sisto” in reference to the Pope himself.
Despite his brief reign (1667-1669), Pope Clement IX left a lasting mark on Rome through the refurbishment of the Ponte Sant’Angelo. This project stands in stark contrast to the preceding papacy of Alexander VII, known for his extravagant building endeavors. Clement IX, a service-oriented leader, ascended to power during a period of waning papal authority. The Catholic Church faced challenges from Protestantism, particularly Jansenism in Holland, and the loss of Crete to the Ottomans. To bolster his influence, Clement’s advisors likely recommended artistic undertakings. In 1669, Clement IX commissioned the renowned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to redecorate the Ponte Sant’Angelo. Bernini’s design featured a unique zigzag pattern of ten angel statues, each holding an “Instrument of the Passion” – objects associated with Christ’s crucifixion. This arrangement, with inscriptions carved into the bases, narrates the Passion of Christ chronologically as pilgrims crossed the bridge.
Bernini 6personally sculpted two of the angels but oversaw the creation of all ten. He provided sketches and clay models for his workshop assistants, ensuring a cohesive visual experience. Notably, he considered three key viewpoints for each angel: for pilgrims approaching from the city center, for a frontal perspective, and for those returning from the Vatican. Clement IX, deeply impressed by the two angels Bernini sculpted – the Angel Carrying the Superscription and the Angel with the Crown of Thorns – opted to preserve the originals. He commissioned copies for the bridge, keeping the originals for his palace. These sculptures eventually found their home in the church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte. The bridge refurbishment served as a strategic move by Clement IX to reaffirm the power and dominance of the papacy within Rome, the Holy See, and the broader Catholic world.
Rome’s bridges have served as lifelines for centuries, reflecting the city’s artistic, cultural, and cartographic history. The bridges shaped the city while the city and its politics defined the bridges. This symbiotic relationship is particularly evident in bridge projects undertaken between the 15th and 17th centuries. From the strategic placement of Ponte Sisto, facilitating pilgrim movement across the Tiber during jubilees, to the artistic flourishes adorning Ponte Sant’Angelo, commissioned by a pope solidifying his legacy, these structures transcended mere functionality. They were potent symbols of authority, religious devotion, and the popes’ vision for urban development. Local and regional political dynamics also shaped these projects. Local politics involved the Holy See and the Capitoline Assembly, Rome’s city government. The location of bridges and their funding sources became points of negotiation. As with the placement of the Ponte Sisto which led to the development of the Trestevere area where many of the Pope’s friends and elites lived during that time.
Additionally, tensions existed between papal authority and the power of the Holy Roman Emperor. Projects like the redecoration of the Ponte Sant’Angelo provide the Pope with a means to establish power over Rome along with aspirations to reflect Catholic dominion across a wider geographic sphere. Public works initiatives intersected with a desire for artistic embellishment and beautification. Finally, popes saw these endeavors as a means to define and solidify their legacies. Alongside bridge construction, the commissioning and production of coins and maps specifically linked the popes to these projects, leaving a lasting and impactful legacy.
The bridges of Rome stand as testaments to the city’s rich history and the enduring influence of the papacy. From the strategic construction of Ponte Sisto to the artistic embellishment of Ponte Sant’Angelo, these structures embody the multifaceted nature of papal power. They not only facilitated movement across the river, but also served as potent symbols of authority, religious devotion, and urban development. By studying these bridges, we gain a deeper appreciation for the complex interplay between art, politics, and engineering that shaped the Eternal City during this dynamic period.
Bibliography
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- Pamela Olivia Long. Engineering the Eternal City: Infrastructure, Topography, and the Culture of Knowledge in Late Sixteenth-Century Rome. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2018.