Power of Rome: PLACE WHERE YOU CANNOT TAKE PHOTOS & ordinary tourists ALSO CANNOT VISIT
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Because this place is restricted only to citizens or those with a Resident Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno) legally residing in Italy, visiting is completely free but booking is mandatory and must be prepared months in advance with very limited slots, and it's no different from extremely rigorous identity and security checks at the highest level - that's because this is not a place for tourism, but an official public office - the National Executive Power Center - OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC.
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Italy is a member of the powerful G7 bloc - 7 countries with the world's leading developed industrial economies, with GDP ranking 8th globally. Regardless of its colossal heritage - history - culture among the world's most impressive (and also holding the UNESCO championship position), Italy is a country with a strong enough economic and political foundation to sit at the table of superpowers.
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And since Female Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took power and brought the country into a rare phase of political stability compared to the long history of short-lived governments (before Meloni, 77 years with 67 different governments - enough to see the political instability and ease of government collapse) along with the promising economic growth of Italy compared to the generally bleak landscape of Europe, helping Italy in general or Ms. Meloni in particular to have an increasingly strong voice in European and world politics.
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And when visiting the country's power center, especially entering the Round Table Cabinet Meeting Room of the Council of Ministers - dubbed the most important room, the brain of every key political decision in Italy - I truly felt overwhelmed. The nameplates placed on each table, though simple, were extremely dignified, from "Minister of Economy and Finance" to "Minister of University and Research", from "Minister of Justice" to "Minister of Defense", on this side Health on that side Foreign Affairs, one corner Interior Affairs the other direction Culture. "So the country I'm living in has these gentlemen and ladies meeting here" - something I never imagined would be so real right before my eyes.
In Italian, the Prime Minister's position is officially called President of the Council of Ministers (Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri - President of the Council of Ministers). Therefore, the Prime Minister's Office is the Palace of the President of the Council of Ministers, where the round table meeting room I mentioned above is located.
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However, when visiting, citizens and residents must absolutely comply and follow the instructions of the specialized staff explaining the cultural history of each room, each painting, each artwork like frescoes, hand-painted ceilings - themed mythology, religion, and political power. Many rooms are equipped with antique carpets and precious furniture, named after artists and historical figures, reflecting each phase of the palace's development. And of course, accompanied by a general introduction to the Prime Minister's living areas, where Ms. Meloni's office is, where the reception room is, where the waiting hall is - the entire commentary is naturally 100% in Italian because this is a place only for Italians, foreigners lucky enough to live, work, and study in Italy with a legal residence permit must also "Enter Italy According to Custom" and listen to the explanations.
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There are always secret service security personnel closely following every move of each visitor. And the special thing that must ABSOLUTELY BE OBEYED is NO PHOTOS - it sounds scary because it always reminds me of spy movies where spies disguised as tourists snap photos to grasp every nook and cranny for intelligence on the government's nerve center. Just kidding, but really this is serious and must be respected. In one day at the Vatican, so many people sneak photos or quick shots or selfies in all styles at the Sistine Chapel even though the rules prohibit photos inside the Chapel - but because it's also a tourist spot, if you sneak a few souvenir shots, the staff won't make it hard for you - whereas the Presidential Palace is a more critical issue due to national security confidentiality level, not a place for tourism. However, surprisingly, this place is right in the middle of bustling downtown with crowded buses and people passing by, and many tourists don't realize this is the Prime Minister's Office, right next to ZARA and very close to the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon Temple, almost everyone coming to Rome will pass by here because it's the traffic artery right in the capital's center.
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If the US Presidential Palace is called the "White House", the UK Prime Minister's Residence is "10 Downing Street", then the Italian Prime Minister's Palace is the Chigi Palace (Palazzo Chigi or Chigi Palace) - Chi in Italian is pronounced "Ki", and Gi is G pronounced like J in English, so Chigi Palace is "Kee Jee Palace" (not "Cung điện Chi ghi"). This is the name of the powerful family from Siena in Tuscany - the land that gave birth to the world's finance and banking industry and currently Siena bank is still the world's oldest bank. This family was extremely wealthy in the banking world, and a member became Pope Alexander VII - you'll easily see his presence at the Vatican, from the title on the pillars of St. Peter's Square to the interior of the Basilica, especially his tomb design is also among the most artistic, by Bernini's hand.
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In Rome, everywhere is a living museum, every church is a gem, every relic is a treasure, every palace contains terrifying things of the world, traveling one day in Rome learns a basket of Rome, but there are places limited that the public cannot easily access. And I can only write this introduction with some personal story to share with everyone the masterpieces of Rome that are better seen than heard a hundred times. Before leaving, we were also given a small "Internal Circulation" souvenir book explaining the Chigi Palace to read like homework.
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The only place where I was allowed to take photos without security staff coming to delete them is in the inner courtyard entrance hall. This is exactly the place to welcome national and world leaders from French President Macron to EU President Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, the photos I excerpted from the official Italian government website at Governo(.)it, and Ukrainian President Zelensky's photo has the most visits in recent years according to world geopolitical news, always warmly welcomed by Female Prime Minister Meloni.
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Thu - local earth god living in Rome, local tour guide explaining culture history storytelling the capital of Italy and Vatican country, sharing about an extremely special place right in the heart of the national political power center.
Cre: Lý Dật Thụ
