Trastevere Area in Rome
Intro - Trastevere Area is well known for its restaurants, clubs, theaters, arts and its famous narrow cobbled alleyways. In the evening, all of the cafes and restaurants tables spill out over to the pavement, especially in the area of Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. The morning is better to appreciate the antique charm of Trastevere’s characteristic narrow alleyways.
The Area - Trastevere is located on the right bank of the Tiber river. Its name comes from “Trans Tiberem” (across the Tiber) and it was once perceived as a precarious area.
It was said to belong to the Etruscans. Rome conquered it again and gained control and access to the river from both banks. Only one passageway was available through the small “Pons Sublicius” bridge (from Latin: “bridge built on piles”) between Trastevere and the rest of the city (Rome). During the Emperor Augustus Trastevere began to be considered part of the city.
During the Republic era in 509, the number of sailors and fishermen making a living from the river had increased, and many had taken up residence in Trastevere.
Later, with the wealth of the Imperial Age, luxury villas and gardens were constructed on the hillside of Trastevere. To name a few: Clodia, (Catullus’ “friend”) and Julius Caesar (his garden villa, the Horti Caesaris). The flat land below was occupied by the houses of the poor and small shops. Some of which are still there today!
Trastevere grew in a network of small, curly streets in the Middle Age because of structures on the front of buildings that left no space for carriages to pass.This is why a strong contrast between large houses for rich people and small houses for poor people are still creating such a contrast.
The streets had no pavement until the end of the 1400s. At first bricks were used, later replaced by sampietrini (cobble stones), which make up the famous narrow maze streets today.
The oldest church in the area is Santa Maria in Trastevere (probably among the firsts to host an open ceremony). Santa Maria is indeed the queen of all churches of the area and immediately became the focus point for devotion to the Virgin by its people. It is said that this church Mother of God was worshiped in Rome. In the Square there is an Octagonal fountain that today is a meeting point. The neighbourhood still has its own medieval character and the many changes occurred in the recent years haven’t changed it a lot.
Nowadays, Trastevere maintains its character thanks to its narrow cobbled streets built in the medieval era. At night, both natives and tourists alike gather together around its many pubs and restaurants. The unique character of this neighborhood has become quite popular attracting tourists, locals, artists, foreign expats, and many famous people. This friendly area is strongly connected with the local community.
This is where John Cabot American University, The American Academy, the Rome campus of the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts and the Canadian University of Waterloo School of Architecture are. Also the American Pratt Institute School of Architecture is serving as a temporary home to an International student body.
Frederic Rzewski and Richard Teitelbaum (Musica Elettronica Viva group), famous American musicians, lived here in the 60s and 70sin Via della Luce. Sergio Leone (director of Spaghetti Westerns) grew up in Viale Glorioso (a marble plaque to his memory is on the wall of the apartment building).
No doubt that Trastevere is ‘the place to be’ in Rome!
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