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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Trisha Thomas

A hidden cloister in the center of Rome has a turbulent past etched on its walls

Italy Rome Hidden Cloister - (2026 Copyright The Associated Press)

A hidden cloister just a few steps from Rome’s Pantheon is a peaceful place for silent meditation — if the millions of tourists who trudge past even know it's there.

Behind the large wooden door, its frescoed walls closed to the general public reveal details of the compound's dramatic history, including papal conclaves and the Inquisition interrogation of Galileo Galilei.

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