General terms and conditions of use of website

Article 1 - Purpose

1.1 – These General Terms and Conditions of Use of the website (“GTCU”) govern access to and use of the sales platform available on the domain booking.basilicasanpietro.va (hereinafter, the “Website”), owned by Fabbrica di San Pietro (hereinafter, “FSP”).

1.2 – The Website is operated by HIVE S.r.l. (hereinafter, “HIVE”), an Italian company based at Via Ermete Conti, 7 - San Polo d’Enza (RE), VAT: 02893710356, acting as an authorized travel agency under Travel and Tourism Agency License No. 32657 dated 26.01.2023.

1.3 – Access to the Website, consultation of its content, and use by the user (“User”) presumes the reading and knowledge of the GTCU in force at the time, as well as the viewing and acceptance of the Website and Service’s Privacy Policy (as defined below).

1.4 - This Website is available in various languages solely to facilitate access and understanding of information for Users who may not be native Italian speakers, even if they reside in Italy or Vatican City. The presence of different language versions should not be interpreted as a solicitation of commercial activity or a marketing strategy targeting markets other than the Italian and Vatican markets. The translation of the content is provided as a courtesy to improve the User experience, without implying any intent by HIVE to be subject to consumer protection regulations of other countries.

Article 2 – Changes to the GTCU

2.1 – HIVE may modify or simply update, in whole or in part, these GTCU at any time. Such modifications and/or updates will be communicated to users by simply publishing the updated version of the GTCU in this section of the Website. The new GTCU will become binding upon publication.

2.2 - Users of the Website are therefore encouraged to review the GTCU in force before making a purchase. The GTCU can be accessed in the Legal section located in the footer of the page, as well as in dedicated sections during the purchase process.

Article 3 – Website Content and Intellectual Property

3.1 – The content present on the Website (such as, by way of example, texts, information, data, works, images, photographs, videos, reviews, dialogues, music and sounds, documents, drawings, figures, logos, trademarks, icons, photos, illustrations, graphics, audio, indexes, reports, software, HTML codes, screens, menus, web pages, graphics, schemes, tools, fonts, Website design, diagrams, layouts, methods, processes, functions, and any other material, in any format, published on the Website) (the “Content”) is owned by or licensed to HIVE and/or FSP and, in any case, is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights of HIVE or third-party images/content/trademarks licensed to TrueItalian Experience S.r.l. Therefore, reproduction, in whole or in part, in any form and/or manner, of the Website and the aforementioned content is prohibited.

3.2 – The Content is subject to the protections provided by national and international intellectual property laws, including, but not limited to, rights related to patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trade names, trademarks, service marks, moral rights, know-how, and any other similar rights recognized by laws or international conventions in any country or jurisdiction worldwide, including copyright law (Law No. 633/1941 as amended). The Content is presented solely for promotional purposes.

Unless otherwise indicated, the user may not reproduce, download, copy, record, manipulate, reformat, print, display, publish, transmit, distribute the Content, or create a derivative work from the Content of the Website or its use, nor offer for sale or make any other use of the Website or its Content.

3.3 – Nothing in these GTCU may be construed as an implied grant of a license or any other intellectual property right or copyright by HIVE S.r.l. and/or third-party rights holders.

Article 4 – Trademarks and Domains

4.1 – All trademarks, logos, and distinctive signs present on the Website are the exclusive property of Fabbrica di San Pietro or TIE. If third-party trademarks and distinctive signs appear on the Website, it is acknowledged that HIVE is expressly authorized to make lawful use of them under specific and separate agreements (the “Trademarks”).

4.2 – HIVE is authorized to exclusively use the Trademarks present on the platform, prohibiting their use by third parties unless expressly authorized. Therefore, any unauthorized use by third parties, including the user, will expose them to legal consequences for the protection of trademarks and distinctive signs.

4.3 – The domain www.basilicadisanpietro.va, as well as its various subdomains, is the property of FSP. Therefore, any direct or indirect use by third parties is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization from Fabbrica di San Pietro, subject to compensation for all damages suffered as a result of unlawful use.

Article 5 – Use of the Website and User Responsibility

5.1 – Access, use of the platform, and services provided therein, and browsing on the Website constitute activities conducted by the user exclusively for personal use, unrelated to any commercial, entrepreneurial, or professional activity.

5.2 – The user is solely responsible for using the Website in violation of the provisions herein. No liability can be attributed to the Website owner if the user uses the Website in violation of these GTCU or in a manner inconsistent with current laws.

5.3 – The user assumes full and unconditional responsibility regarding the truthfulness and accuracy of the data and information provided, whether their own or third-party data, for which they guarantee a proper legal basis for provision and/or communication and/or dissemination, including prior consents from the subjects involved. To this end, no liability can be attributed to the Data Controller, who merely receives the data provided by the user.

5.4 – Any content downloaded from the Website by the user in any manner is at the user's own choice and risk. The Website owner disclaims any liability for any damages that may result to computers, IT devices, or other media, including any data loss resulting from such activities.

5.5 – The Website owner disclaims all liability for any damages resulting from interruption or inaccessibility of the services offered on the Website, as well as for damages due to viruses, worms, or trojans, corrupted files, deletion of Website content, connectivity issues, network malfunction, providers, unauthorized access, data alterations, malfunction of the user’s electronic devices.

5.6 – The user shall be solely responsible for safeguarding and correctly using their personal information, including login credentials to the Website and/or restricted services. In this regard, the user shall indemnify and hold the Website owner, and thus Fabbrica di San Pietro, harmless from any claim arising from improper use, loss, or theft of such information or their use in a manner inconsistent with the provisions herein.

5.7 – Users who access the Website from countries other than Italy and Vatican City are responsible for verifying compliance with local regulations. HIVE disclaims any liability for the improper or non-compliant use of the Website and its contents in countries where local laws may differ from Italian laws.

Article 6 – Website Content

6.1 – The content, materials, information, technical data, product features, and services offered on the Website, as well as references, are subject to change at any time, without any liability or obligation towards the user or third parties.

6.2 - The information contained on the platform is provided "as is" without any representation and/or warranty regarding accuracy, completeness, or timeliness, nor are any other warranties provided in relation thereto. Any material or content published on the Site may therefore contain inaccuracies or errors. In such cases, the user is entitled to report this by using the following email address: legal@basilicasanpietro.va. Upon receiving a report and subject to verification, the reported content will be modified, updated, or removed at the sole discretion of the Site owner and without prior notice, in accordance with the provisions of the Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065) and without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Owner. The Site owner and HIVE commit to ensuring that each report is handled transparently and fairly, keeping users informed about the actions taken in response to the report.

Article 7 – Disclaimer of Liability

7.1 - The maintenance of the Site and its content is carried out by the Site owner and HIVE with diligence. However, this does not imply any guarantee regarding the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the content, data, and information published on the Site. Therefore, the Site owner and TIE shall not be held liable for any damages resulting from the user’s use of any information and content published on the Site.

7.2 - The Site owner and HIVE disclaim any liability for anything that may result from server malfunctions or failures, as well as from the user’s use of any content/information/data published on the Site, even if these may contain errors, omissions, inadequacies, or inaccuracies.

7.3 - The Site owner and HIVE shall not be held liable for damages resulting from the non-performance of services available on the Site or from inaccessibility of the Site due, for example, to server malfunctions, electronic devices, related software, computer viruses, worms or trojans, hacking or third-party actions, internet networks, or connections used by the user, outside their control.

Article 8 – Links to Other Websites

8.1 – For the user’s convenience, the Site may contain links to other sites, owned and/or operated by third parties, which are entirely autonomous and independent from the Site. HIVE and Fabbrica di San Pietro have no control over these sites, nor over their content, information, or data published on them, and therefore make no warranties or assume any liability regarding them. Before accessing such sites, the user is advised to carefully read the terms and conditions governing their use, including any privacy policy documents, as these GTCU and the specific documents referenced herein apply solely and exclusively to this Site.

8.2 – The Website may be reached via third-party sites that have a link or banner directing users to the Website.

8.3 – The link or banner directing the user to the Site may not be activated by third parties other than HIVE and/or the owners of the domains.

8.4 – Any activation of a link in violation of the provisions herein, and in any case not expressly authorized, will entitle the domain owner and HIVE to take any action deemed appropriate, including immediate deactivation of the link and seeking compensation for damages, including but not limited to damages to image, reputation, and for unfair competition. In any case, the activation of deep hyperlinks (such as deep frames or deep links) to the Site, as well as the unauthorized use of metatags, is prohibited.

8.5 – Should the user wish to purchase services or travel packages described on the Site or buy tickets for access to the historical and cultural areas of the Basilica of St. Peter or to book access to the Basilica, they may do so by accessing the platform through the dedicated link on the Site, whose terms and conditions of sale are governed by specific terms and conditions, which must be expressly accepted by the user before proceeding with the purchase and are hereby referenced.

Art. 9 – Personal Data Processing and Cookie Policy

9.1 – The data provided by the user through the Site is processed by HIVE in compliance with the applicable data protection regulations, as specified in the dedicated section of the Site containing the notice pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 ("Privacy Policy"), accessible through the link in the "Legal" section of the footer on the Site.

9.2 – The Site also uses cookies, which are managed in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined in the dedicated section of the Site containing the cookie policy ("Privacy Policy"), available via the link in the "Legal" section of the footer on the Site.

Art. 10 – Governing Law

10.1 – Any dispute related with this Site, its use, and its contents as governed by the GTCU will be subject to Italian law, as applicable.

10.2 – The Company explicitly states that access to the Site by users residing in countries other than Italy and Vatican City is considered unsolicited and unintentional. The Company assumes no responsibility for access by foreign users nor for compliance with regulatory requirements in their countries of residence. Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 593/2008 (Rome I Regulation), the potential application of foreign laws is excluded to the extent permitted by law, and these terms shall be interpreted in accordance with Italian law.