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The river Tevere is another characteristic element of the roman landscape, completely navigable until the construction of the embankments in the 19th century.
Our itinerary starts from the Isola Tiberina going towards the jewish area, the so-called Ghetto, reaching the Sinagoga and the Portico d’Ottavia, where it is very nice to taste some typical dishes of the roman-jewish tradition in one of the charming restaurants located there. |
Going southwards there are the Tempio di Vesta and the Piazza Bocca della Verita’, so-called because of the famous Bocca, a stone mask with a large open mouth used, according to the legend, to discover the honesty of people: the mouth would close if the person who put their hand inside it had told a lie.
Very easily now we reach Castel S. Angelo, a fortress built in the 2nd century B.D. to be used as monumental tomb for the Emperor Adriano. During the centuries it was mostly used as a prison, linked to the left bank of the river by a bridge, Ponte Elio, also called Ponte S. Angelo and beautifully decorated with 10 marble statues of angels hand-carved by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Leaving Castel S.Angelo behind us and going along the river we reach the Ara Pacis, realized by appointment of the Emperor Augusto to celebrate the peaceful empire after the wars of conquest. The famous monument has been recently restored and inserted in a very modern, but strongly criticized, structure realized by a famous architect.
Sinagoga and Jewish Museum opening times: 9.30am-16.30pm, on Fridays 9.30am-13.30pm, on Sundays 9.30am-noon.
Castel Sant’Angelo opening times: 9.00am-18.00pm.
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