Bridges over the Tiber

Today's Photos:

 

1.Ponte Milvio is the site of a battle which changed the course of history.

 

2. Ponte Sant'Angelo as seen from the terrace of Castel Sant'Angelo.

 

3. Ponte Sisto is named after the Pope who had it built. Notice the dome of St. Peter's

Basilica in the background.

 

4. Ponte Cestio has an interesting connection with Julius Caesar.

 

5. Ponte Fabricio is the only ancient Roman bridge still in use today. You won't believe how old it is.

 

6. Ponte Rotto (the broken bridge). The reason for its name is obvious.

 

7. Horatius Cocles holds off the enemy as the Ponte Sublicio is cut down behind him.

 

8. This is my favorite picture of the Tiber Island. In the foreground, amidst the pine trees, is the Fatebenefratelli hospital. In the rear right we see the Basilica of St. Bartholomew with its bell tower. The top of the synagogue of Rome is seen above the trees on the left bank. Finally, one arch of Ponte Cestio is seen on the extreme right side; it leads to Trastevere.

 

 

Many cities all over the world have a river, small or large, which flows through them. One of these cities is, as we know, Rome, the Eternal City, which boasts its rather small but ancient and historic Tiber.

 

A curiosity

 

How did the river get this somewhat strange looking name? The average Roman today would probably have some difficulty answering this question. The fact is that the name derives from a legendary story about Tiberinus, a king of the town of Alba Longa just outside of Rome. He is said to have fallen into the river and drowned. His subjects then named the river "Tiberis" in his honor. The Latin "Tiberis" becomes "Tevere" in modern Italian and "Tiber" in English.

 

Oddly enough, there is no agreement about the exact length of the river. Most sources, however, converge on the figure of 252 miles. It originates in the Tuscan Apennines and flows down through the city of Perugia on its journey to Rome where it ultimately empties  into the Mediterranean Sea at the town of Ostia.  In its journey through Rome it is crossed by 27 bridges.

 

Some of these bridges have interesting and curious stories which help us to better understand and appreciate the history of Rome. What follows is a brief sketch of what I consider the seven most important and historic of these bridges, beginning upstream and working our way downstream.

 

Ponte Milvio (the Milvian Bridge)

 

Here, on October 28, 312, there was an epic battle fought between the co-emperors of Rome, Constantine and Maxentius. This battle was won by Constantine thanks to his vision of the Cross of Christ and the words which he heard: In hoc signo vinces (in this sign you will conquer). This vision and the ensuing victory convinced Constantine to introduce freedom of religion into the empire, thus de facto ending the persecution of the Christians.

 

Ponte degli Angeli (Bridge of the Angels)

 

This bridge was first built by the emperor Hadrian in the second century as an entrance to the area of his tomb. Originally called Pons Aelius from the name of the emperor, Aelius Adrianus, the name was changed to Bridge of the Angels after Pope Gregory the Great in the sixth century had a vision of an angel at the top of Hadrian's tomb, a sign which signified the end of a terrible plague in the city of Rome. In the 1600s Gianlorenzo Bernini re-designed the bridge, adding the statues of angels which still line it today.

 

Ponte Sisto (The Bridge of Sixtus)

 

This bridge, which leads into the Trastevere neighborhood, gets its name from Pope Sixtus IV who rebuilt the Roman bridge originally constructed in the third century by the emperor Caracalla. Sixtus had it rebuilt in preparation for the Holy Year of 1475. This is the same Pope for whom the Sistine Chapel is named. Both the chapel and the bridge were designed by the pontiff''s favorite architect, Baccio Pontelli. I crossed this bridge many times, and I almost always reminded myself that it was built 17 years before Columbus discovered America. Just to put our own short American history in perspective!

 

Ponte Fabricio (The Bridge of Fabricius)

 

People never cease to be amazed at this bridge when they learn how old it is. It was built in the year 62 B.C. and is the only ancient Roman bridge which has been in use constantly since it was built. It connects the Tiber Island to the Jewish Ghetto on the left bank.

 

Ponte Cestio (The Bridge of Cestius)

 

This bridge connects the island to the Trastevere neighborhood on the right bank of the river. It was first built in 46 B.C., but was destroyed and rebuilt several times, the last of which was in 1896. It was originally built as a favor to Julius Caesar, connecting the famous gardens of Caesar in Trastevere to the island and the left bank. Caesar is said to have hosted none other than Queen Cleopatra in his gardens when he brought her to Rome.

 

(To get the full story of the Tiber Island and its two bridges, see my book: Tiber Island and the Basilica of St. Bartholomew).

 

Ponte Emilio

 

Just downstream from the Tiber Island is a solitary, ancient arch next to a modern bridge. The arch is all that remains of the Ponte Emilio, constructed in 179 B.C. by Emilius Lepidus. It was the first stone bridge built over the river. The bridge was damaged and rebuilt several times in its history, but after a disastrous flood in 1598, it was decided not to rebuild it. The Romans have given the one remaining arch the name Ponte Rotto (Broken Bridge).

 

Ponte Sublicio

 

There is a famous legend told about this bridge, originally built in the seventh century

B.C. Horatius Cocles, in 509 B.C. courageously and single-handedly  held off the invading Etruscans, giving his comrades time to cut down the bridge behind him. Horatius is said to have been saved by leaping into the river just before the bridge collapsed. The modern

bridge here today connects the Trastevere neighborhood to the Testaccio neighborhood.

 

(To learn the fascinating stories behind the fourteen historic neighborhoods of Rome and their corresponding fountains, see my book: Rome: Sights and Insights, Chapter 17).

Tiber floods & Via del Corso

Today's photos:

1. The Tiber island with its two bridges on a "normal" day.

2. Almost the exact same view during the high water of 2012.

3. The wall of the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva with flood markers from various years.

4. A close-up of one of the markers from the preceding photo. See its translation in the text.

5. The straight and narrow Via del Corso seen from the top of the Victor Emanuel

Monument in Piazza Venezia.

6. Here is Via del Corso seen from the other end at Piazza del Popolo.

7. In this painting from 1860, French artist Jean-Baptist Carpeaux depicts the start of the race as he imagined it would have been during Renaissance times. To me it looks like something Michelangelo would have painted, with its twisting bodies and bulging muscles.

8. Another calmer representation of the start.

Tiber Flood Inscriptions

Prior to 1900, before the retaining walls were built, the Tiber river often overflowed its banks and caused serious flooding in Rome. In various parts of the city you can still find markers on the walls of buildings indicating the level reached by the flood waters, as well as the date. The oldest of these inscriptions can be found on Via del Banco di Santo Spirito in the historic center. It is dated November 7, 1277.

A curiosity

This particular inscription includes not only the date of the flood, but also the fact that it occurred during a sede vacante, a Latin term used to describe the period between the death of one pope and the election of his successor. In fact, John XXI died on May 20, 1277 and the conclave to choose his successor dragged on for over 6 months. Finally, Nicholas III became pope on December 26, 1277, over a month after the flood.

There is one place in particular in Rome where you can see several of these flood markers: Piazza della Minerva on the wall of the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva just behind the Pantheon (photo 3). This area, including the Pantheon, is one of the lowest parts of the city; it suffered many floods over the centuries before the retaining walls were built in the late 1800s to contain the Tiber (photos 1 & 2). Here is the translation of the marker shown in photo 4:

In the year of the Lord 1530 on the eighth day before the Ides of October (Oct. 8), in the seventh year of the pontificate of Pope Clement VII,

(Here you see the hand pointing to the level of the water)

the Tiber rose to this point and all Rome would have been destroyed if the Virgin had not brought swift help.

Via del Corso

Interesting facts about the varied history of Rome can also be found in the stories behind the street names in the city. If you have ever been to Rome you have probably walked along or at least crossed Via del Corso, street of the (horse) race, the main north-south thoroughfare in Rome. It stretches in a straight line for 1.5 kilometers from Piazza del Popolo in the north to Piazza Venezia in the south (photos 5 & 6). The name of the street derives from the running (corso) of the barberi (fast horses) which was held every year at Carnival time along the entire length of the street, starting in Piazza del Popolo and ending in Piazza Venezia.

A curiosity

After the assassination of King Umberto I in 1900, the name of the street was changed to Corso Umberto I, in honor of the martyred king. However, when the kings fell into disgrace after World War II, the original name was re-adopted. Notice that the word corso is now used as the title of any important street, not only in Rome but in all of Italy. So, for example, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in Rome has nothing to do with the horse race; it simply means Vittorio Emanuele II Avenue.

Getting back to the race itself, it was a real no holds barred contest, more so even than the two famous Palio races held every year in Siena – a real free for all. Unlike the Palio however, this was a race of riderless horses (photos 7 & 8). The contest was discontinued in the late 1800s because of a tragic accident which happened during the race. In the excitement of the moment, a young boy ran out into the street just as the horses were approaching at full speed. The child was trampled to death in the presence of Queen Margherita who was a spectator at the race. This was the last running of the barberi; only the name survives in the label of the street.

A curiosity

Today we take for granted the illumination of the streets of our towns and cities, but of course it has not always been that way. During the pontificate of Pius IX (1846-1878), to the wonder of the population, Via del Corso was for the first time entirely lined with gas lighting.

Sant'Agostino

Today's photos

1. The facade of the church of Sant'Agostino.

2. Caravaggio's Madonna dei pellegrini.

3. Chapel of the Madonna del parto.

4. A close-up of the Madonna del parto.

5. The tomb of Saint Monica.

6. The main altar by Bernini.

7. Raphael's Isaia and the sculpture of Saint Ann, Mary and Jesus, by Sansovino.

8. A close-up of the Sansovino sculpture.

9. This mosaic is not in the church, but I wanted to show mother and son together.

In a tiny, crowded and inconspicuous piazza near the north end of the more famous Piazza Navona, stands one of Rome's earliest Renaissance churches, Sant'Agostino (Saint Augustine). The church is often overlooked by tourists, despite its location in the middle of the historic center. Making the church seem even more dominant in the piazza is the fact that it is preceded by a high and steep marble stairway. As everybody knows, every church in Rome has its own history, its own works of art and its own curiosities, and Sant'Agostino is no exception. It was begun in 1479 and finished in 1482.

A curiosity

If you want to see a piece of the Colosseum without actually going to the Colosseum, all you need do is stand in front of this church and look at the facade (photo 1) which was made using travertine stone taken from the famous amphitheater. Another example of pagan material turned into Christian use.

La Madonna dei Pellegrini

One of the most famous works of art in the church is the Madonna dei Pellegrini (the Madonna of the pilgrims) by Caravaggio (photo 2). It depicts two elderly pilgrims kneeling at the feet of Mary who is holding the Christ child in her arms. But this representation of Mary is unlike those serene, pious-looking scenes we usually see surrounding the subjects of Mary and the Child. No praying angels and soft, pastel colors here. The pilgrims are dressed in rags, and their dirty, bare feet are in full view. Mary is also in her bare feet, standing in the doorway of what appears to be a dilapidated building. She holds the naked Child in her arms. The only concession made by the artist to the usual depictions of saints is the barely visible halo over the heads of Mary and Jesus. The painting provoked outcries of scandal when it was first placed in the church.

La Madonna del Parto

Perhaps the most interesting statue in the church is the Madonna del Parto (the Madonna of child-birth) which has been associated with various miraculous cures. As its name suggests, it is a statue before which prayers are said for the safe birth of a child. The statue is located in the rear of the church between two entrances; it is filled with ex-voto (votive offerings) left in thanksgiving for a successful birth (photo 3).

A curiosity

A popular tradition holds that this sculpture was adapted from an ancient Roman statue of Agrippina, the mother of the emperor Nero, and that the child she is holding represents the infant Nero. And if you look at it carefully, it does seem to have a similar facial expression as is seen on other statues which depict Agrippina (photo 4). This would be yet another example of a pagan object turned into Christian use.

The cult of this statue as intercessor in child-birth goes back only to the 1800s when a young worker, Leonardo Bracci, prayed to the Madonna to protect his pregnant wife and unborn child. When the baby was born and both mother and child were healthy, Leonardo donated oil to keep a perpetual flame burning before the statue. Since that time this Madonna has been considered the protector of women in child-birth.

The tomb of Saint Monica

A most sacred and revered area of the church is the chapel to the left as you face the main altar. Buried beneath the altar of this chapel is the body of Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine. She died in the year 287 at Ostia, the ancient seaport of Rome, as she and Augustine were preparing to sail back to their home in Hyppo, North Africa. Monica was originally buried in Ostia, but her body was transferred into this chapel shortly after the church was built in 1482 (photo 5). In his Confessions Augustine gives a moving account of his mother's sudden illness and death.

Next to the chapel of Saint Monica is the main altar of the church, a spectacular work by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (photo 6). It displays a Byzantine Madonna said to have been painted by St. Luke the Evangelist.

Isaia and Saint Ann

There are also two superb works of art in the center aisle: a beautiful fresco of the prophet Isaia by Raphael and a statue-group of Saint Ann, Mary and the Christ-child (photo 7). Just think, this is Jesus with his mother and his grandmother! The piece was carved from a single block of marble in 1512 by Andrea Sansovino (photo 8).

The church of the courtesans

This church also has the dubious reputation of having been known as the “church of the courtesans” in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Courtesans were prostitutes whose clients were wealthy and powerful aristocrats, politicians and even clergymen.

A curiosity

The first three pews in the church were reserved for the courtesans so that the faithful would not be distracted during the services by seeing them face to face. Some of these high-class prostitutes were even buried in the church, including the infamous Fiammetta, the lover of Cesare Borgia, the son of Alexander VI Borgia (1492-1503).

The Protestant Cemetery

Today's photos

1. The first century B.C. Pyramid-tomb of Gaius Cestius.

2. A striking view of one part of the cemetery.

3. The tombs of John Keats and Joseph Severn.

4. The tomb of Percy B. Shelley.

5. You might not expect to see this flag in a cemetery in Rome!

6. A close-up of the inscription of Thomas Jefferson Page.

7. The tomb of Antonio Gramsci.

8. A close-up of the inscription on the Gramsci tomb.

9. The entrance gate to the cemetery.

During the period of the Papal State, burial of non-Catholics within the city of Rome was forbidden. In 1716, however, Pope Clement XI Albani was persuaded by the Stuart family, ex royals of England in exile in Rome, to provide a small piece of land just outside the Aurelian walls to be used for non-Catholic burials.

A curiosity

What prompted the Stuarts to make this request of the Pope? It seems that an Englishman, 25 year-old George Langton, was killed when he was thrown from his horse and struck his head. Since the young man's family wished to bury him in Rome, they asked the Stuart family to use their influence with the Pope to permit the burial. Young Lamgton thus became the first person to be laid to rest in the cemetery in 1718. Over the years his tomb was lost but was re-discovered in 1929.

After the city of Rome fell to the Italian troops of unification and became the capital of the new Kingdom of Italy in 1870, the cemetery was greatly expanded. By 1918 it was considered to be a national monument, and today it is visited by thousands of people every year. It is referred to by several different names: The English Cemetery, The Protestant Cemetery and The non-Catholic Cemetery. And today it has a place in almost all the guidebooks of Rome . . . including mine, The Sights of Rome!

The cemetery was established just outside the ancient city walls erected in the third century by the emperor Aurelian (270-275).

A curiosity

The practice of burial “outside the walls” goes back all the way to the time of ancient Rome when burial within the walls was forbidden to everyone. This is why, for example, the early Christians established their cemeteries outside the walls. Today we know these ancient Christian burial places as the Catacombs.

One reason why it is a popular tourist destination is that it holds the tombs of several famous people including the English poets Keats (photo 3) and Shelley (photo 4), and Joseph Severn (photo 3), the English Consul in Rome from 1860-1872 who was a close friend of Keats. Also buried here is August Goethe, son of the famed German poet, and Antonio Gramsci (photos 7 & 8), the founder of the Italian Communist Party.

A curiosity

The curious fact about Gramsci's tomb is the grammatical error in the short Latin inscription at the bottom of the monument. It reads: “Cinera Antonii Gramscii” (the ashes of Antonio Gramsci), but the “cinera” should be “cineres”.

But aside from the famous tombs, people visit the cemetery because it is such a beautiful and peaceful place with an abundance of tall cypress and pine trees (photo 2). Despite the fact that it is located in a heavy traffic zone of the city, it is a place of almost total silence as it is protected from the noise on all sides by a high wall. People are also attracted by the tombs themselves, many of which are authentic works of art.

A curiosity

There are even a few Americans buried here. One of them is the naval officer Thomas Jefferson Page (photos 5 & 6), a southerner who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. He was one of several southerners who moved to Europe after the defeat of the Confederacy. The first time I saw his tomb there was a Confederate flag flying over it. Unfortunately, the flag has since been removed. Political correctness seems to be making inroads even in Rome!

A unique feature of this cemetery is the administration of it. It is under the patronage of fifteen foreign embassies in Rome, surely a diplomatic feat unequaled in the history of diplomacy! The embassies are, diplomatically in alphabetical order: Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. Practically a little United Nations in itself!

There is one tomb which is halfway inside and halfway outside the Aurelian walls. It is a monument known as the Pyramid of Gaius Cestius (photo 1), and it is not at all out of place in a cemetery because it was originally built as a tomb for this Roman official in the year 12 B.C. So we have the third-century Aurelian walls which literally incorporate the first century pyramid, thus leaving half of it inside the walls and the other half outside the walls.

There are many interesting tombstone inscriptions in this little cemetery, and in several different languages, as we would expect considering all the embassies involved. Here are just a few of my favorite ones. Were I still in Rome I would spend another day in the cemetery copying inscriptions!

Sit tibi terra levis (Latin)

May the ground upon you be light.

Sol me rapuit (Latin)

The sun has snatched me up.

Fermi stare qui significa salire (Italian)

Staying still here means climbing up.

Venni a Roma – Salì al cielo (Italian)

I came to Rome – I climbed to heaven.

Britannia! Mihi et meis patria carissima!

Cor, ut semper, meum, si non ossa contines! (Latin)

Britain! Very dear fatherland to me and mine!

You keep me heart, as always, if not my bones!

A curiosity

The most compact Latin inscription in the cemetery is seen above the monumental entrance gate (photo 9). It means: To those who are about to rise. But these seven English words are rendered in Latin by one word: Resurrecturis.

Both the pyramid and the cemetery are overlooked by most tourists, especially those who spend only a day or two in Rome, but it is well worth a visit the next time you find yourself in the Eternal City.

The Pantheon: Part 4

Today's photos:

1. The dome with its oculus dominates this aerial view of the Pantheon.

2. This lady is dwarfed by the massive front doors.

3. You can enjoy this view of the dome from the terrace of the Hotel Minerva. Notice the stairway cut into the stone, leading up to the oculus.

4. The sunlight streams through the oculus creating a spotlight on the inner wall of the dome.

5. What are these firemen doing at the top of the dome?

6. It is Pentacost Sunday and the firemen are throwing rose petals down through the oculus.

7. Down come the rose petals!

8. Some of the firemen can be seen from the nearby Piazza Minerva.

9. It is April 21 and the spotlight moves inexorably toward the doorway.

10. It's almost there! (Sorry, I have lost my photo of the spotlight as it hits the door, but believe me . . . it got there!

It is interesting to see the Pantheon's dome from unusual vantage points, such as the aerial view (photo 1) and the view from the terrace of the nearby Hotel Minerva (photo 3).

As you enter the Pantheon, notice the large double doors made of bronze (photo 2). These are the original doors, but in the sixteenth century they were taken down, recast and put back up. They are so big that some people just can't believe that they are still in use, but I can assure you that they are opened and closed every day . . . by hand!

The mighty dome and its oculus

Once inside, your eyes will automatically be drawn to the magnificent dome and its circular opening in the center, the oculus (photo 4).

Many people are surprised to discover that the oculus is not covered with glass or any other material; it is open to the sky. It was built that way for practical reasons, to provide light and fresh air into the building, since there are no windows opening up to the outside. You will occasionally see birds flying around inside. And when it rains, the water comes in and drains out through several inconspicuous holes in the floor beneath it. The oculus measures 9 meters across.

A curiosity

During the middle ages there was a widespread belief that when the building was transformed into a church in the seventh century, devils which had inhabited the pagan temple flew out, bursting through the top of the dome, thereby creating the oculus.

The dome has always fascinated visitors to the Pantheon, especially trained architects. When Michelangelo was designing the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, he had such great admiration for the Pantheon's architect that he declared that he would not make the dome of the basilica larger than that of the Pantheon. And in fact, this dome is one meter larger in circumference than Michelanelo's dome over St. Peter's. The circumference of the Pantheon is exactly the same distance as its height – 43.3 meters.

Pentecost in the Pantheon

Pentecost Sunday is the day when the Church recalls the Gospel story of the descent of the Holy Spirit onto the heads of the apostles in the form of tongues of fire. Pentecost, from the Greek word meaning fiftieth, is a movable feast in the Church which occurs fifty days after Easter. On that day in the Pantheon a solemn Mass is celebrated, at the end of which firemen throw down from the oculus thousands of red rose petals which come fluttering down on the congregation below, to recall the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire (photos 5-8).

This is an extremely old tradition in the Pantheon, begun by Pope Benedict XI (1303-1304). The custom continues to this day, even though there have been periods when it was interrupted and then taken up again. It is a spectacular sight to see all those rose petals fluttering softly down from the oculus. A large crowd gathers every year to witness this unusual sight.

April 21 in the Pantheon

When you find yourself in the Pantheon on a beautiful sunny day you will notice that the sunlight streaming through the oculus creates a spotlight effect on the interior wall of the dome. Amazingly, every year on April 21, the birthday of Rome, at exactly 12:00 noon this spotlight hits the front door, the only time this phenomenon happens. This is, of course, not a freak accident, but something planned and calculated at the time the building was constructed. The plan was for the emperor Hadrian to be present at the inauguration of the building, so it was decided that he should arrive at exactly 12:00 just as the spotlight bathes the entrance with rays of light (Photos 9-10).

It is only recently that this phenomenon has been brought to the attention of the public, so now there is always a large crowd on hand every year to witness this extraordinary event. It is interesting to be there about half an hour before noon (1:00 pm during daylight savings time) to watch the spotlight as it inexorably approaches the entrance.

A curiosity

I have my own "Pantheon dome story" to tell. I spent the summer of 1972 in Rome with a group of classics teachers in the summer program of the American Academy in Rome. We had a wonderful leader that year, the late Professor John D'Arms of the University of Michigan. He arranged for our group to climb to the top of the dome and view the interior of the Pantheon from the oculus. We took an elevator inside the six meter thick wall of the building up to the base of the dome. From there we climbed up to the oculus by means of a stairway cut into the stone on the outside of the dome. (You can clearly see this stairway in photo #3). I was able to lie on my stomach, put my hands on the edge of the oculus and look down into the Pantheon. It was truly an extraordinary and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. No one is allowed to do this anymore. The only people you will ever see at the top of the dome are the firemen who throw the rose petals down on Pentecost Sunday and the maintenance workers when there is need to inspect and do repair work.