The 12th rione of Rome is called Ripa. This district is named after the former river harbor, the Ripa Grande. Although it is one of the least densely populated areas of Rome, it can boast many beautiful and important tourist attractions.
A brief history of the Ripa District in Rome (rione XII)
The name of the district derives from the Ripa Grande, Rome‘s former river port, which no longer exists. Ripa Grande used to be where goods arriving from Ostia were unloaded. The coat of arms of the district still features a ship’s helmet.
During the Middle Ages, the district was known as the Regio Ripe et Marmorate. The Marmorate part derived from the large unworked blocks of marble that arrived in the port and were then crammed into a storage space called the Emporium.
Originally, Ripa was much larger, but in 1921 it was divided into three rioni, called Ripa, Testaccio and San Saba. The part of the district closest to the river used to be called Ripa Graeca, after a Greek settlement that was located here from the 4th to the 8th century.
The part of the district called Valle Murcia, where the Arco di Giano now stands, used to be marshy and there was a sort of natural harbour where Evandro (“Euander”, in English) is said to have arrived from Troy to then found the first settlement on the Palatine Hill. It was also here that the shepherd Faustolo rescued the twins Romulus and Remus from the river.
What to see in the Ripa Neighborhood
Important tourist attractions in the rione Ripa are the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) in the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, the Circus Maximus, and the Roseto Comunale.
The Isola Tiberina, the small island in the Tiber, with its hospital and three churches, is also part of the rione Ripa and worth a short visit.
The Aventino, one of Rome’s original seven hills, houses the church of Santa Sabina at the Aventine Hill, the main church of the Dominican Order. From the Orange Garden next to the church, there is a panoramic view over the city.
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