Sant'Angelo (rione of Rome)

Sant'Angelo is the eleventh historic district or rione of Rome, and is located in Municipio I. Often written as rione XI - Sant'Angelo, its coat of arms is an angel on a red background, holding a palm branch in its left hand. In another version, the angel holds a sword in its right hand and a scale in its left.

Sant'Angelo, the smallest of Rome's rioni, lies along the Tiber river east of Tiber Island. Rioni bordering this district, clockwise from north to south, include Regola, Sant'Eustachio, Pigna, Campitelli, and Ripa. Sant'Angelo's western border is the river.

The rione's terrain is low and flat and, until recent times, particularly susceptible to flooding from the river.

The historical significance of Sant'Angelo is mainly the result of the presence here of the Roman Ghetto.

During the early Roman period, the territory occupied by Sant'Angelo lay outside the Servian walls, east of the island. This location, at a point where the river could be forded easily (at least in summer) had great strategic importance.

The Cestian and Fabrician bridges, built during the 1st century BC to connect the island with the right and the left bank, respectively, increased the importance of the area.

During the Empire, the district was part of IX Circus Flaminius, one of fourteen Roman regiones. The regio was named after the Circus Flaminius, the second-largest circus of Rome, built here during the 3rd century BC by Gaius Flaminius Nepos. The Circus stood near the Capitoline Hill and the Forum.

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