A late night shot of an ancient building
that stands on the Tiber in the Vatican City for almost 2000 years. Built in 130 AD by the Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum
for himself and his family, it has also been used as barracks, papal fortress,
medieval prison and since 1933 as a museum. Originally, it was called “Hadrian’s
Mausoleum” but according to tradition at
the end of the sixth century there was a procession led by the Pope Gregory
(the Great) aiming to pray for the cease of an ongoing plague. When the
procession arrived at the castle, people saw the Archangel Michael standing on
the top of the castle and putting his sword into the scabbard. This gesture was
interpreted as a sign that the plague would end soon which actually did end
soon. Since then the castle is known as Castel Sant’ Angelo.