This area of Rome is located in the middle of several major tourist sites, including The Vatican and the Castel Sant’Angelo. It is therefore very busy during the daytime. However, visiting this historic area before dawn, when this photo was taken, was a magical experience.
The road is called Via della Conciliazione and leads up to St Peter’s Basilica. The road is not centred on the dome of the Basilica, but is actually centred on the obelisk in the square.