Trastevere
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Trastevere is rione XIII of Rome, on the west bank of the Tiber, south of Vatican City. Its name comes from the Latin trans Tiberim, meaning literally "beyond the Tiber". Its logo is a golden head of a lion on a red background, the meaning of which is uncertain. Trastevere borders to the N the XIV rione, Borgo.
History
In Rome's Regal period (753-509 B.C.), the area across the Tiber belonged to the hostile Etruscans: the romans named it Ripa Etrusca (etruscan bank). Rome conquered it in order to have the control of and access to the river from both sides, but it was only a strategic aim; Rome was not interested in building anything on that side of the river. In fact, the only connection-point between Trastevere and the rest of the city was just a small wooden bridge called the pons sublicius (Lat., "bridge built on piles").
By the time of the Republic in 509, the number of sailors and fishermen making a living from the river had increased, and many of these had taken up residence in Trastevere. There were a lot of people coming from the East, too, mainly Jews and Syrians.
The area started being considered part of the city under Augustus, who divided Rome in 14 regions (regiones in Latin); the modern Trastevere was the XIV and was called Trans Tiberim.
It really became part of the city with Aurelian (270-275), who made larger protecting walls to include Trastevere and the Vatican hill. Thanks to the wealth of the imperial age, several personalities decided to build their villae in Trastevere: Clodia, (Catullus' "friend") and Julius Caesar (his Horti Caesaris). The regio included two of the most ancient churches of Rome, the Titulus Callixti, later called basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, and the Titulus Cecilae, Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.
In the Middle ages Trastevere had narrow, winding, irregular streets; moreover, because of the mignani (jutting foreparts on buildings' fronts) there was no space for carriages to pass. At the end of the 1400s these mignani were removed, yet in spite of that, Trastevere remained a maze of narrow streets. There was a strong contrast between the rich and big houses of the upper class and the small damaged houses of the poor. The streets had no kind of pavement until, thanks to the will of Sixtus IV at the end of the 1400s, they were eventually paved. At first bricks were used, but later sampietrini, which is more suitable for the transit of carriages. Thanks to its partial isolation (it was "beyond the Tiber") and to its multicultural environment since the ancient Roman period, the inhabitants of Trastevere, called trasteverini, were able to develop a separate culture of their own. In 1744 Benedict XIV made a revision of the limits of the rioni, giving Trastevere the modern limits.
Nowadays, Trastevere keeps its peculiarity thanks to its narrow streets covered by sampietrini, surrounded by original medieval popular houses. At night the streets are crowded by both Italians and foreigners because of the many pubs and restaurants. The area is also home to John Cabot University, a private American University, as well as the American Academy in Rome, and therefore also serves as home to its international student body.
See also
External links
- from Wikitravel
- [Trastevere Itineraries Guide]
- [Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere] 360° IPIX PANORAMA
- [Piazza della Scala] 360° IPIX PANORAMA
- [Piazza Trilussa] 360° IPIX PANORAMA
- [Piazza Sant'Egidio - The Market] 360° IPIX PANORAMA
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