Spending time in the rione “across the Tiber”, Trastevere, has allowed me to gain a lot of information about the neighborhood in which I reside during my time in Rome. Speaking with the residents in the neighborhood, observing daily life there, and reading the history of the area allotted me with much information on the rione.
Trastevere was created as the thirteenth rione of Rome. South from Vatican City and across the Tiber River from the majority of the city, Trastevere remains secluded from what is considered to be Rome's center. With roots dating before Christ's death, Trastevere is signified by a coat of arms of a golden lion's head with a red background. Inhabited in early 500BC by fishermen and immigrants, Trastevere was already spawning into a rione of diversity. With proximity to the Tiber River, fishermen along with Jewish and Syrian immigrants moved into the rione across the Tiber. As Rome developed, during the Imperial Age Julius Caesar and Clodia built villas in the area known today as Trastevere. Durng the Middle Ages, the area of Trastevere was developed into the area that it remains today. With Medieval houses being built throughout the windy streets of the rione, Trastevere obtained character that was unlike any other rione in Rome.
Today, Trastevere is inhabited by students from all over the world along with local Italians that have lived in the rione for generatons. With five international universities calling Trastevere their home (John Cabot University, American Academy in Rome, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, University of Waterloo School of Architecture, Pratt Institute of Architecture), one cannot help but feel an energetic aura as they walk through the cramped streets of the rione.
The economy in Trastevere is largely based on tourism. With restaurants, small shops, bars, and gelaterias lining the streets, it is the perfect neighborhood for a tourist to walk through to get their fill of authentic Italian food, delicious cappuccinos, and irresistible world famous gelato. After talking to many of the workers in the shops throughout Trastevere, it is clear that the workers in the area simply come to work and then leave when their shift is over. Since the area is more expensive than many other riones, the majority of the workers do not reside within Trastevere.
For the rione project, my partner, Luis, and I decided on four main areas of the rione to take the class to: Basicilica di Santa Maria, Janiculum Hill, Piazza Santa Maria, and the open air market. All four of the attractions within Trastevere are unique to the rione and important to the history that is maintained within the neighborhood.
Basilica di Santa Maria is known as the first church in Rome where mass was openly celebrated. Dating back to 340AD, the basilica is beautifully decorated with ancient mosaics depicting the coronation of The Virgin Mary on the interior and on the exterior depicting images of the Madonna enthroned. Within the basilica, there are twenty-two Ionic and Corinthian granite columns original to the church.
Piazza di Santa Maria, located just outside of Basilica di Santa Maria, is often crowded during the evening and a gathering place for those engaging in nightlife in Trastevere. In the center of the piazza is a fountain that was constructed in 1692 and designed by Carol Fontana. This fountain is original to the piazza while originally constructed in travertine, has since been reconstructed with marble. The Piazza di Santa Maria serves as a great place to observe the natives of Trastevere.
The next point of interest in Trastevere, the Janiculum Hill (Gianicolo in Italian), is one of the few sites in Rome where one can see an expansive view of the ancient city. From the peek of this hill, one can count the seemingly endless domes marking churches within the city walls. The hill is the second tallest hill in Rome but was not one of the seven hills of Rome because it was outside the boundaries of the city that was Rome during antiquity. Originally the center of worship for the cult of Janis, the hill still remains a place of worship and is home to the Church of San Pietro Montorio. The Church of San Pietro Montorio is known as the church where Saint Peter is believed to have been crucified.
Finally, we decided that the last place that would be good to take the group to is the open air market located in a square just north of the Piazza di Santa Maria. This open air market is similar to the one that is located in Campo dei Fiori, but it is significantly cheaper. In this market, vendors display their fruits, vegetables, candies, cheeses, meats, pastas, and anything else that you could imagine. It is fun to look through this market and compare the vendors as well as the people shopping in the market as opposed to Campo dei Fiori.
After exploring the neighborhood and the monuments in Trastevere, the borders within the rione became clear. Interviewing the residents and workers in the shops made it clear that the insiders are the trasteveri, or the people that are native to Trastevere, and the outsiders are the workers in the shops and restaurants that line the narrow streets. I also think that it is clear that the students that reside in the neighborhood for a short period of time do not “belong” in the neighborhood. Since the students do not generally integrate with the natives of the community, it becomes clear that the students in the community do not quite fit in with the trasteveri. When observing the cafe below my apartment, it is clear that the students do not blend with the residents of the rione. The students sit at opposite tables from the residents and never communicate with one another unless the other finds they need to borrow a packet of zucchero from the others table.
Having called Trastevere home for the past month, I find something new as I walk around the rione everyday. With bustling nightlife, restaurants lining every street, and unique markets flowing out of the piazzas; I would say that Trastevere is one of the most diverse and beautiful riones I have visited in Rome. There is never a dull moment as I walk down the streets I have now walked hundreds of times. The charm and character of the ancient buildings all painted in shades of yellow, red, or blue built atop cobble-stone streets lend the rione a rustic feel.
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