ONCE UPON THE TIBER

Did you know that Rome is home to the oldest Jewish community in Europe? Explore the lively Ghetto district and discover the customs and traditions of the local Jewish population together with the role the community played in the biography of the city.

Approximately 2,000-3,000 Jews lived in Rome when Pope Paul IV established the Ghetto in 1555, compelling the population to live in cramped conditions, on seven acres of marshy land right next to the River Tiber. At different times throughout the ages the inhabitants were oppressed by restrictive laws and regulations which forbade Jews to leave the area from dusk to dawn, limited the number of professional activities they were allowed to carry out and ordered them to wear specific clothing. As a result of this forced isolation the community clung to its ancient lore and practices and managed to flourish against all odds. Today you can find a synagogue, a Jewish Museum, kosher food shops and restaurants, Jewish schools and a 4-star boutique hotel, evidence that Jewish heritage is deeply entrenched and customs still very much alive. Echoes and stories of the past reverberate here and, as you amble through the streets, you will pick up a sense of its history as well as a glimpse of today’s thriving hub and centre of Jewish life.

No doubt your guide will point out the Church of Sant’Angelo in Pescheria, incorporating the stunning ancient Roman remains of the Portico d’Ottavia. Here Jews were obliged to attend Catholic sermons every Saturday in an effort by the church to convert them to Christianity. Famous landmarks also include the splendid Renaissance Fountain of Turtles, the Church of San Gregorio in Divina Pietà – named after the enlightened Pope Gregorio Magno who granted Jews freedom of cult as early as the 6th century AD – and the Great Synagogue, a unique blend of Liberty-style design, Greek influences and Assyrian architectural motifs.

From here make your way to Trastevere with its maze of narrow cobblestone alleys, pavement cafes and bars, tiny restaurants and traditional workshops, not to mention washing lines that stretch across from one building to the next. Life spills out onto the streets here and while the district hums and bustles during the daytime, it is the night scene that attracts crowds of young people to the area at sundown. Trastevere or trans Tiberim, meaning beyond the Tiber, was once a strictly working class neighbourhood. Today it provides a heady mix of old and new, traditional and trendy, of rundown dilapidation and the very latest architectural design, of the mundane humdrum of everyday and an effervescent, inspirational explosion of colour and creativity.

Your guide will lead you through the labyrinth of winding streets to Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, the very heart of the district. Carlo Fontana, who redesigned the portico of the ancient church in the 18th century, also created the octagonal fountain which graces the centre of the square and now serves as a popular meeting place. Inside the church you will see mosaics and marble columns that originally supported ancient Roman structures. Thought to be the first official place of Christian worship in all the city, it is full of captivating treasures and still very much part of community life today.

Your guided walk will also take you past la Casa della Fornarina, believed to be the home of Margherita, Raphael’s famous model and mistress. Her reputation ruined, she took refuge in a convent after his death but you can still admire her in his paintings (if you happen to visit the Barberini Gallery). As you stroll through the area it would be hard to resist a peek at the river from Ponte Sisto, the footbridge, now well over 500 years old, that links this area to the rest of the city.