A Turbulent Past Etched on Its Walls

A turbulent past etched on its walls

ROME — 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.

‘Most beautiful’ cloister in Rome hides a dramatic and dark past

A hidden cloister just a few steps from Rome’s Pantheon temple is a peaceful place for silent meditation – if the millions of tourists who trudge past even know it is 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 Roman Inquisition interrogation of Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. At the centre is a pond with goldfish and…