Everything about Trastevere totally explained
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". The correct pronunciation is "tras-TEH-ve-ray", with the accent on the second syllable. Its logo is a golden head of a
lion on a red background, the meaning of which is uncertain. To the north, Trastevere borders on to the XIV rione,
Borgo.
History
In
Rome's
Regal period (753-509 BC), the area across the Tiber belonged to the hostile
Etruscans: the Romans named it
Ripa Etrusca (Etruscan bank). Rome conquered it to gain control of and access to the river from both banks, but wasn't interested in building on that side of the river. In fact, the only connection between Trastevere and the rest of the city was a small wooden bridge called the
Pons Sublicius (Latin: "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 had taken up residence in Trastevere. Immigrants from the East also settled there, mainly
Jews and
Syrians. The area began to be considered part of the city under
Augustus, who divided Rome into
14 regions (
regiones in Latin); modern Trastevere was the XIV and was called
Trans Tiberim.
The area really became part of the city under
Aurelian (270–275), who made larger protecting
walls to include Trastevere and the Vatican hill. With the wealth of the Imperial Age, several important figures decided to build their
villae in Trastevere, including Clodia, (
Catullus' "friend") and
Julius Caesar (his garden villa, the
Horti Caesaris). The
regio included two of the most ancient churches in 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 (structures on the front of buildings) there was no space for carriages to pass. At the end of the 1400s these
mignani were removed. Nevertheless, Trastevere remained a maze of narrow streets. There was a strong contrast between the large, opulent houses of the upper classes and the small, dilapidated houses of the poor. The streets had no pavement until the time of
Sixtus IV at the end of the 1400s. At first bricks were used, but these were later replaced by
sampietrini (cobble stones), which were more suitable for carriages. Thanks to its partial isolation (it was "beyond the Tiber") and to the fact that it its population had been multicultural since the ancient Roman period, the inhabitants of Trastevere, called
Trasteverini, developed a culture of their own. In
1744 Benedict XIV modified the borders of the
rioni, giving Trastevere its modern limits.
Modern-day Trastevere
Nowadays, Trastevere maintains its character thanks to its narrow cobbled streets lined by medieval houses. At night the streets both Italians and foreigners flock to its many pubs and restaurants. However, much of the original character of Trastevere remains. The area is also home to
John Cabot University, a private American University, the
American Academy in Rome, and the Rome campus of the
Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, as well as the Canadian
University of Waterloo School of Architecture (between the months of September and December), therefore serving as home to an international student body.
The unique character of this neighborhood has attracted artists, foreign expats, and many famous people. In the sixties and seventies, the American musicians/composers Frederic Rzewski and Richard Teitelbaum, of the group Musica Elettronica Viva, lived in Via della Luce.
Sergio Leone, the director of
Spaghetti Westerns, grew up in Viale Glorioso (there is a marble plaque to his memory on the wall of the apartment building), and went to a Catholic private school in the neighborhood.
Ennio Morricone, the film music composer, went to the same school, and for one year was in the same class as Sergio Leone.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Trastevere'.
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