A display apparatus and a controlling method thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes: a display panel; at least one sensor configured to detect a distance to an external object; a driver configured to rotate the display panel while a front surface of the display panel maintains a facing direction; and a processor configured to: based on an event for rotating the display panel occurring, control the driver to rotate the display panel, and based on detecting, via the at least one sensor, the object within a predetermined distance in a rotating direction of the display panel while the display panel rotates, control the driver to stop rotating the display panel, wherein the predetermined distance has different values according to a rotating angle by which the display panel has rotated from a position of the display panel before the event occurred.