Overview
The Aventine Keyhole (Il Buco della Serratura) offers one of the most utterly magical, brilliantly engineered visual surprises in Rome. Hidden on a quiet, aristocratic hill, it provides a perfectly framed, miniature view across three sovereign territories.
Highlights
- The View: Squint through the heavy brass keyhole of an unmarked green door to see a perfectly framed shot of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, aligned exactly at the end of a manicured garden path.
- Three Nations: The view brilliantly encompasses three sovereign entities: the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (the garden), Italy (the city in between), and Vatican City (the dome).
- Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta: The elegant, deeply esoteric square designed by Piranesi functioning as the entrance to the Priory.
History
The property belongs to the Priory of the Knights of Malta, an ancient Catholic military order. In 1765, architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi was commissioned to redesign the entrance plaza and the gardens. He brillianty, intentionally aligned the garden's central pathway explicitly to frame the distant dome of the Vatican.
Visitor Tips
- The Queue: Because only one person can look through the tiny keyhole at a time, there is almost always a line extending out into the square.
- Photography: It is famously difficult to photograph with a standard smartphone lens. Put your lens right against the brass plate, tap to focus on the distant dome, and lower the exposure.
- Duration: 10–15 minutes (plus queuing time).