Bridge gets its name from the Ponte Sant'Angelo , which mirrors the oldest bridge Helium, built by Emperor Hadrian and that led to the current Castel Sant'Angelo . The district began to be inhabited and grew to become a real neighborhood in the late Middle Ages : the inhabitants could rely on a growing number of activities related to the flow of pilgrims who crossed the bridge and headed to the Basilica of St. Peter and the economy of the area was always full of inns and taverns, as well as having a profitable trade of sacred objects (via the Coronary takes its name from the sellers of crowns) and a multitude of shops that carried out activities changers for pilgrims and strangers . Another economic activity Bridge was that of the tanners , so that in the fourth century the district was called " pontis and scorticlarium ."

After the transfer of the papacy from the Lateran to the Vatican , the district grew in importance due to its provision of roads , its streets were rebuilt and were later paved streets of the district as other current via Tor Blood , because of the Golden Mask and Via Acquasparta.

The district has always had an intense urban activity : there were many houses built in the middle of the sixteenth century is aristocratic families that merchant families whose decoration concurred artists in Rome as Raphael, Giulio Romano , Perino del Vaga, Zuccari , Pirro Ligorio and other . While rifondavano or rebuilding churches, the District developed its Renaissance appearance in three geographically localized : Way of the Coronary with vendors of religious objects, Via dei Banchi with the money changers and bankers and between Via Monte Giordano and the Bear with the " courtesans " .

This area , like other of Rome, was completely altered by the zoning of Rome, the capital district who worked in various demolitions which inflicted extensive injuries to the ancient urban fabric. The first transformation was the construction of the containing walls of the Tiber that profoundly changed the area of Ponte : the houses that were lost , with windows and balconies faced the Tiber conjuring interrupted by streets and lanes running down the embankment ; s'interruppero also some ancient roadways including one known as papal route .

Nevertheless Bridge has retained its typical appearance with the Renaissance straight converging towards the bridge, while maintaining a perfect balance between past and present: it is very pleasant to walk , and often get lost in the maze of streets and alleys remained almost unchanged between the old houses , where picturesque views have withstood the time . The District is now a place for monumental buildings and the characteristic angles , but also a place full of different craft activities , among which those of gilders , the furniture makers , antique dealers.