Italian Prisons / St. Angelo; the Piombi; the Vicaria; Prisons of the Roman Inquisition

The work surveys the history and function of Rome’s notorious fortresses and prisons, concentrating on the Castle of St. Angelo, the Piombi, the Vicaria, and sites associated with the Roman Inquisition. It outlines architectural evolution, defensive features, and passages of retreat while recounting episodes of political struggle, violence, and alleged poisonings linked to papal authority. The narrative describes how these strongholds were used for refuge, detention, interrogation, and punishment, examines conditions and methods of confinement, and places these prison episodes within broader themes of ecclesiastical power, crime, and social disorder across successive centuries.