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Paradoxplace Lazio and Central Italy Galleries
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A Keyhole view of Saint Peters
The road up the Aventine Hill past Santa Sabina ends in the quiet unpeopled and tree framed Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta. On one side is the entrance gate to the Priory occupied by the Grand Master of the Knights of Malta ( = Knights Hospitaller or Knights of St John of Jerusalem). It is possible to organize a morning visit to see the church and beautiful gardens with a view of St Peters if you phone 0667581234. We just joined the little queue and photographed the dome of St Peters through the keyhole.
The Knights Hospitaller started out in Jerusalem when a group of Amalfians set up a hospice, before the first crusade, to look after pilgrims. Later they became a military order and were joined in the early 1100s by the historically higher profile Knights Templar. Unlike the Templars they are still going strong in various manifestations (heard of the St John's Ambulance?) - but you won't find books about them around.
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May Day 2005 - a large crowd gathers to see the new Pope Benedict XVI. Michelangelo's design was based on a Greek cross, but this was later changed to a Latin cross, which means that the famous dome disappears from view as you get closer.
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All original material on this site © Adrian Fletcher 2000-08 - The contents may not be hotlinked, or reproduced without permission
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