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SPORT FACILITIES AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES AT THE PROPERTY OR NEARBY

San Pietro Basilica is situated in Città del Vaticano, the residence of Popes since 1377. The present church stands on the ruins of the ancient early Christian church dedicated to Peter, where the grave of the apostle is placed. The dome, clearly visible from many areas of the city, dominates the view of Rome; it was designed by Michelangelo and carried out by Fontana and Della Porta, and is one of the most famous buildings in the world.

Arriving in San Pietro from Via della Conciliazione you come to the square designed by Bernini, an endless set of marvelous columns to which two fountains (one by Maderno and one by Domenico Fontana) join, and the central obelisk too. On the background you can see the façade of the Basilica, designed by Maderno and finished in 1614. Within the portico, on the façade, 5 doors open; the one that stands on the right side is the Holy Door. This door is officially opened by the Pope according to a special rite, exactly on Chritmas Day.

Built by the emperor Adrian as his mausoleum, it was begun in 123 A. D. and received the remains of the members of the imperial dynasty up to Caracalla. The original work was very different from the one you can see nowadays; its turning into a castle took place in the X century; in 1277 it became propriety of the Vatican, that joined it through the famous passetto to the Vatican walls.

 The passetto is a long fortified corridor that allowed the passage of the pontiffs from the Vatican Palaces to the castle. The name of Castel Sant'Angelo dates back to the XII century and originates from an ancient legend that tells the story of the plague in Rome in 590; according to this story the plague came to an end thanks to the apparition of an angel that alighted upon the mausoleum and made the gesture of replacing the sword in the sheath as a symbol of the accorded Grace. To remember this event, not only the name of the monument was changed, but the statue in honor of the angel was put on the top.

Pantheon is one of the greatest, the most majestic and best preserved monuments in ancient Rome. The present building of 80 A. D., wanted by Adrian, stands up on the ruins of the previous temple, built by Agrippa in 27 B. C

The sight from Rotunda Square propose us the view of the portico, and of the already mentioned inscription. When you enter, you discover the reason why this monument is famous in the world, as an absolute example of architectural and building skill: the immense dome, symbol of the vault of heaven. On the top you can admire the opening penetrated by the pencil of light that constitutes the only luminous source of the Temple, symbol of the eternal light that enlightens the man, and of time passing by. In fact the sensation you can feel by visiting the building in the different hours of the day is strictly depending on the position of the sun, and so on the position of the ray of light inside the building; 43 mt. high,