Hotel Barocco * * * *

San Peter's 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.

The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater was begun by Vespasian, inaugurated by Titus in 80 A.D. and completed by Domitian. Located on marshy land between the Esquiline and Caelian Hills, it was the first permanent amphitheater to be built in Rome. Its monumental size and grandeur as well as its practical and efficient organization for producing spectacles and controlling the large crowds make it one of the great architectural monuments achieved by the ancient Romans.

The amphitheater is a vast ellipse with tiers of seating for 50,000 spectators around a central elliptical arena. Below the wooden arena floor, there was a complex set of rooms and passageways for wild beasts and other provisions for staging the spectacles. Eighty walls radiate from the arena and support vaults for passageways, stairways and the tiers of seats. At the outer edge circumferential arcades link each level and the stairways between levels. .

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,