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Sacra di San Michele, Italy 🇮🇹

Sacra di San Michele is a historic abbey and fortress-like monastery located on Mount Pirchiriano in Piedmont, Italy. Built high above the valley, it overlooks the route between Italy and France and has become one of the symbols of the Piedmont region.

The abbey was founded around the late 10th century and became an important religious center during the Middle Ages. Dedicated to Michael the Archangel, it was part of a line of sacred sites connected to the cult of Saint Michael across Europe.

Over the centuries, monks, pilgrims, and travelers visited the abbey, especially those journeying along medieval pilgrimage routes. Its dramatic stone architecture and mountain setting gave it both spiritual and defensive importance.

Aerial View of Castle Santangelo, Rome - Italy 🇮🇹

Castel Sant’Angelo is one of the most famous landmarks in Rome, Italy. Originally built in the 2nd century CE as the mausoleum of Hadrian, it later became a fortress, papal residence, and prison.

During the Middle Ages, the structure was transformed into a military stronghold connected to the Vatican City by a secret passage called the Passetto di Borgo. Popes used it as a refuge during times of danger, especially during the Sack of Rome.

The name “Sant’Angelo” comes from a legend that Michael the Archangel appeared above the castle in 590 CE, signaling the end of a plague in Rome. A statue of the angel now stands at the top of the fortress.