On His Visit To Rome To Meet Pope Benedict XVI In November 2006, Where Did The Archbishop Of Canterbury Stay?

During his four day visit to the Eternal City, the Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, was the guest of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, at the English College, Rome. The college is a Roman Catholic seminary for English men training for the priesthood.

Before being established as a seminary in 1579, it was an English hospice from 1362. In fact, this "English ground" on the Via di Monserrato, has welcomed English visitors as a church and school since the 8th Century. During Penal times in England after the Reformation, many seminarians trained at the English College and prepared to go back to England where many knew they would probably be executed, and thus martyred, for their priesthood.

Today, the college has impressive accommodation, two stunning chapels, an historic library and an outdoor swimming pool. The college also owns a villa about 18 miles outside of Rome at Palazzola, overlooking a lake Albano, the other side of which is the Pope's summer residence, Castel Gandolfo.

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