Keyhole – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:,
Villa del Priorato di Malta, Aventine Hill, Rome. Image credit: © 
istockphoto

standing at the door

keyhole sight to many worlds

one point of view

*

And now, for something a little “different” in this #ThursdayDoors post.

At the top of Aventine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome and 7 km from Saint Peter’s Basilica lies a priory dating back to the 10th century (redesigned in 1756). This priory land is encompassed by a central square, Villa del Priorato di Malta (Plaza of Malta). On the square’s northern side is a tall stone wall in the Renaissance architectural style with a green wooden door.

Not the green door but its keyhole is famous!

Somehow, by design or by accident, —no one knows for sure how this surreal ‘peepshow’ happened— the famous keyhole proffers a perfect postage-size cameo view of…the real dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, 7 km (4. 3miles) away as the crow flies.

Through the keyhole in the green door in the Plaza of Malta, visitors can see the actual St. Peter’s Basilica dome fit perfectly into the tiny keyhole and framed by the gardens that extend beyond the other side of the green door.

Visitors line up for lengthy periods to witness this spectacle. Images are below in sequence.

Keyhole in the green door, Villa del Priorato di Malta (Rome). Image credit: © Maxopphoto | Dreamstime
View through the keyhole (actual size) of St Peter’s Basilica dome through the Villa del Priorato di Malta, Aventine Hill. Image credit:  © Mistervlad | Dreamstime
View from the other side of the Villa del Priorato di Malta green door keyhole with an expansive view of Saint Peter’s Basilica Dome. Image credit: © Cristian Verzea | Istockphoto

Trivia and fun facts: Adding to its surreal nature the Plaza of Malta square was once part of the fortified palace owned by King Alberico II. Subsequently, Italy gave the land and its administration to the Order of Malta to be run as a separate extraterritorial state.

Therefore, viewers standing at the green door with its famous keyhole are officially in the country of “Malta” and are looking via line-of-sight through to two other countries, Italy and Vatican City (the Holy See).

Another angle of Villa del Priorato di Malta (Rome) Entrance to the Keyhole door, Aventine Hill. Image credit © Konstantinos Papaioannou | Dreamstime

Related facts: St. Peter’s Basilica dome was built between 1588 and 1590, whereas the re-design of Malta Square and its Green Door entrance began in 1756.

Visitors line up at the Green Door at Villa del Priorato di Malta (Rome) Italy. Image credit: TkKurikawa | iStockphoto

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And for more #ThursdayDoors

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ThursdayDoors
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Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

37 thoughts on “Keyhole – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors”

  1. ✒️keyhole sight to many worlds✒️

    Yes, something different, one has to appreciate change

    Green door aside perfectly composed upon the Aventine, vistas of the dome, a framed eternity in a verdant embrace

    ✒️Therefore, viewers standing at the green door with its famous keyhole are officially in the country of “Malta” and are looking via line-of-sight through to two other countries, Italy and Vatican City (the Holy See).✒️

    Beautiful tapestry of Villa del Priorato di Malta’s weaving. Haven of serenity, the keyhole replacing the door for the Thursday Offering

    Liked by 1 person

      1. From Malta to Italy in Rome
        A whole new world
        Beautifully captured in Haiku.
        Looking through where magic blooms
        Thank you Poet.
        Abundant blessings to you too

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Dan. You are right it is not hard to think of metaphors about this green door’s special keyhole. For some reason, I kept thinking of fairy tales while preparing this post.. I have no idea why…lol

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Pingback: Keyhole – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  8. What an amazing structure and its green door with its keyhole. You have captured very well in your few words. An interesting post! Well done, Suzette!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello Mellow Wanderer, Sigh, I have not visited Villa del Priorato di Malta (perhaps one day) My Thursday Doors posts are my personal buckletlist so to speak sharing my research of places I would love to visit along with licensed obtained photos.

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