One of two islands on the River Tiber, Isola Tiberina is the worlds smallest inhabited island. Aproximately 270m long and just 67m wide, the boat shaped island is connected to both sides of the river and was once named Insula Intra-Duos-Pontes which means “the island between the two bridges”
One of two islands on the River Tiber, Isola Tiberina is the worlds smallest inhabited island. Aproximately 270m long and just 67m wide, the boat shaped island is connected to both sides of the river and was once named Tiber island is located in the southern bend of the Tiber and has always been shrouded in mystery and legend; the most common one being that the ancient Romans summoned it into existence when they threw the crops of their evil ruler Tarquin the Proud, into the Tiber River. Others believe it was supposed to have arisen over an ancient ship – hence it’s boat-like shape. Regardless of its own origins, the island is linked inseparably to the origins of Rome.
Situated not far from Capitoline Hill, the island has always been connected to both sides of the river by two bridges; Ponte Fabricio and Ponte Cestio. Ponte Cestio was built in 62 BC by Lucius Cestiu but has been restored numerous times over the centuries because of the flooding of the river; what was a single-span bridge has ended up with three arches. Ponte Fabricio belonged to a family that had transformed the island into a small fort in the Middle Ages and was also called Ponte dei Giudei (bridge of the Jews) due it’s location near the Ghetto.
Isola Tiberina is also home to Rome’s oldest stone bridge, Ponte Rotto or Broken Bridge (once named Pons Aemilius). Once a wooden stucture, the bridge was rebuilt in stone in the 2nd century BC and once spanned the Tiber; connecting the Forum with Trastevere.
The Island was once home to the temple of Asclepius, the Greek God of Healing and thanks to the hospital which was built on the western side of the island in 1584 (and is still operational), it is still associated with medicine and healing to this day. On the site of the temple now stands the baroque church of San Bartolomeo which was built around the year 1000 by Otto III, however the temple’s columns line the nave of the church.
Today the island is the focus for the annual film festival Isola Del Cinema which is held in September.
Isola Tiberina is our first location on the fifth week of the full program, where our students have the opportunity to paint the fast following Tiber as it collides with the island. It is from this beautiful location that we move into Trastevere for the remainder of the week.
Image via Wikimediacommons