The Spirit of Beatrice Cenci – A Tale of Terrible Injustice in Ancient Rome

Just a stone’s throw away from St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City is the Ponte Sant’Angelo. Today, this bridge is one of the famous tourist attractions in the city of Rome. Yet, this bridge hides a dark secret that few who walk upon it would realize.

For several centuries the Ponte Sant’Angelo was one of the sites of choice for public executions, as well as for the exposure of the bodies of the executed, by the papacy. According to tour guides in the city, one of the victims of papal justice still haunts the Ponte Sant’Angelo today, wandering around the bridge with her severed head. This is said to be the spirit of Beatrice Cenci, legendary figure to the people of Rome.

A portrait of Beatrice Cenci attributed to Guido Reni. Public Domain

The History and Legend of Cenci