Prima Porta

Last updated
Prima Porta
Zona of Rome
RomaViaFlaminiaArcoMalborghetto&Casale.jpg
The arch of Malborghetto and the near chapel
Roma Zona LVIII - Prima Porta.png
Position of the zona within the city
CountryFlag of Italy.svg  Italy
Region Lazio
Province Rome
Comune Rome
Area
  Total20.3447 sq mi (52.6926 km2)
Population
 (2016) [1]
  Total16,776
  Density824.6/sq mi (318.37/km2)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)

Prima Porta is the 58th zona of Rome, identified by the initials Z. LVIII. The name Prima Porta (First Door) came from an arch of the aqueduct that brought water to the Villa of Livia, which formed over Via Flaminia a sort of gateway which travellers saw as the first indication of having reached Rome (Piperno).

Contents

History

The location was strategically important due to the iron-rich cliffs of red tuff that approach the river at this point, the confluence of several roads, and its function as the north entryway to Rome.

Prima Porta was one of the scenes of Constantine's victory over the army of Maxentius in 312 which ended with the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. The battle is shown in the frieze of the Arch of Constantine in Rome. A triumphal arch was also erected here.

The Villa of Livia

Nearby, the villa of Livia Drusilla called Ad Gallinas Albas was probably part of Livia's dowry brought to the Julio-Claudian dynasty. It was named and famous for its breed of white chickens and for its laurel grove (Pliny's Natural History 15.136f), which were given auspiciously omened origins by Suetonius. [2] The villa's site was rediscovered and explored as early as 1596, but it was not recognized as that of Livia until the nineteenth century. [3]

The famous statue of Augustus from Prima Porta Augustus of Prima Porta (inv. 2290).jpg
The famous statue of Augustus from Prima Porta

In 1863–1834, a marble krater carved in refined low relief was discovered at the site and in 1867 one of the most famous marble statue of Augustus, the Augustus of Prima Porta , which is now in the Vatican (Braccio Nuovo), was discovered here. The magisterial Augustus is a marble copy of a bronze statue that celebrated the return in 20 BC of the military standards captured by the Parthians in 53 BC after the defeat of Crassus at Carrhae: a rich iconography plays out in the low reliefs that decorate his cuirass.

The villa occupied the height dominating the view down the Tiber Valley  [ it ] to Rome; some of the walling that retained its terraces may still be seen (Piperno). Except for works of terracingthe gardens are currently being excavated, all that can be seen today are three vaulted subterranean rooms, from the largest of which the fine fresco decor of an illusionistic garden view, where all the plants and trees flower and fruit at once, was removed to Rome; it has recently been reinstalled in the Palazzo Massimo, following cleaning and restoration. The vault above the fresco was covered with stucco reliefs of which only a few remains survive.

The villa was built and modified in four stages, the earliest of Republican date, the latest of the time of Constantine the Great. In the nineteenth century the villa belonged to the convent of Santa Maria in Via Lata; it may never have passed into private hands.

A new series of more meticulous modern excavations was initiated in 1970.

Modern history

The new cemetery of Rome was established in Prima Porta in 1945, on a project by the architect Elena Luzzatto. With its extension of 140 hectares, [4] the Cimitero Flaminio is the largest cemetery in Italy; it is crossed by 37 km of internal roads, on which vehicles and buses circulate. Pope Francis, having previously said Mass on All Soul's Day at Rome's Campo Verano Cemetery, said that Mass here in 2016. [5]

House damaged by 1965 flooding Prima Porta house damaged by 1965 flooding.jpg
House damaged by 1965 flooding

In 1965, heavy rains made two near Tiber tributaries, which had no protective banks, to flood the area, generating infrastructural and economic damage. Water level was two meters high at some points.

Geography

The zone is located 12 kilometres north of the city center, along the Via Flaminia and just a kilometre outside of the Grande Raccordo Anulare highway. It is located on the right bank of the Tiber, where the Via Tiberina leads away from the Via Flaminia and another road led off along the Cremera to Veii.

The territory of Prima Porta includes the urban zone 20LPrima Porta and part of the urban zones 20ISanta Cornelia and 20MLabaro.

Boundaries

Northward, the zone borders with the municipalities of Formello, Sacrofano and Riano.

To the east, the zone borders with Zona Marcigliana (Z. III), whose border is marked by the river Tiber, up to the Fosso di Monte Oliviero.

To the south, Prima Porta borders with Zona Labaro (Z. LVII), from which is separated by the Fosso di Monte Oliviero, then by Via della Giustiniana, up to the river Cremera.

Westward, the zone borders with Zona La Giustiniana (Z. LIV), whose boundary is outlined by the Valchetta stream, and with Zona Isola Farnese (Z. LV), from which is separated by the Fosso Pantanacci.

Odonymy

Via della Giustiniana and a medieval tower Prima Porta old Giustiniana road and medieval tower.png
Via della Giustiniana and a medieval tower

The majority of the roads and squares of Prima Porta are named after towns of Lombardy and Latium, while some streets near the border with Zona Labaro are dedicated to Italian tapestry artists. Odonyms of the zone can be categorized as follows:

Places of interest

Civil buildings

The Arch of Malborghetto Prima Porta casale di Malborghetto.png
The Arch of Malborghetto

Religious buildings

The new church of Santi Urbano e Lorenzo Prima Porta (Rome) - Santi Urbano e Lorenzo Nuova 02.JPG
The new church of Santi Urbano e Lorenzo
The old church of Santi Urbano e Lorenzo Prima Porta old church of Saints Urbano and Lorenzo.png
The old church of Santi Urbano e Lorenzo
it is a subsidiary place of worship of the parish of Santi Urbano e Lorenzo a Prima Porta.
it is a subsidiary place of worship of the parish of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori.
Parish church erected on 1 October 1975 according to the decree "Pernotum quidem est" of Cardinal Vicar Ugo Poletti.
it is a subsidiary place of worship of the parish of Santi Urbano e Lorenzo a Prima Porta.

Archaeological sites

Notes

  1. Roma Capitale – Roma Statistica. Population inscribed in the resident register at 31 December 2016 by toponymy subdivision.
  2. Suetonius, Galba 1.
  3. F. Nardini, Roma antica IV, Roma 1820, p64f.
  4. From Cimiteri Capitolini, checked on May 4, 2012
  5. "Pope Francis celebrates All Souls' Day Mass in Rome catacombs".
  6. See Marina De Franceschini, chapt. 4. Villa di Quarto di Montebello, pp. 12-15.
  7. See Marina De Franceschini, chapt. 5. Villa del Cimitero Flaminio, pp. 15-24.
  8. See Marina De Franceschini, chapt. 6. Villa della via Tiberina, pp. 25-27.
  9. {{See Marina De Franceschini, chapt. 7. Villa di Livia a Prima Porta, ad gallinas albas, pp. 27-45.
  10. See Marina De Franceschini, chapt. 8. Villa della Terma presso Prima Porta, pp. 45-47.

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

Via Flaminia Ancient Roman road

The Via Flaminia was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to Ariminum (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had for travel between Etruria, Latium, Campania, and the Po Valley. The section running through northern Rome is where Constantine the Great, allegedly, had his famous vision of the Chi Rho, leading to his conversion to Christianity and the Christianization of the Roman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Administrative subdivisions of Rome</span> Administrative, urbanistic and historic or toponomastic subdivisions

The city of Rome, Italy, is divided into first-level administrative subdivisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campo Marzio</span> Rione of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Campo Marzio is the 4th rione of Rome, Italy, identified by the initials R. IV. It belongs to the Municipio I and covers a smaller section of the area of the ancient Campus Martius. The logo of this rione is a silver crescent on a blue background.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cremera</span> Italian stream connecting to the Tiber

The Cremera is a 36.7-kilometre (22.8 mi) Italian stream in Lazio which runs past Sacrofano, Formello, and Campagnano di Roma before falling into the Tiber about 10 kilometres (6 mi) north of Rome. It connects to the Tiber just as the Via Flaminia intersects the Grande Raccordo Anulare highway, on the proximity of the Labaro Roma Nord railway station, where there is an ancient Roman bridge. The identification with the Fosso della Valchetta is fixed as correct by the account in Livy ii. 49, which shows that the Saxa Rubra were not far off, and this we know to be the Roman name of the post station of Prima Porta, about 12 kilometres (7 mi) from Rome on the Via Flaminia. It is famous for the defeat of the three hundred Fabii, who had established a fortified post on its banks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parioli</span> Quartiere of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Parioli is the 2nd quartiere of Rome, identified by the initials Q. II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porta del Popolo</span> Gate of the Aurelian walls, a landmark of Rome, Italy

The Porta del Popolo, or Porta Flaminia, is a city gate of the Aurelian Walls of Rome that marks the border between Piazza del Popolo and Piazzale Flaminio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa of Livia</span> Ancient Roman house near Rome, Italy

The Villa of Livia is an ancient Roman villa at Prima Porta, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of Rome, Italy, along the Via Flaminia. It may have been part of Livia Drusilla's dowry that she brought when she married Octavian, her second husband, in 39 BC. However, it may also have been a gift given to her by Octavian upon their betrothal. The ancient sources tell us that Livia returned to this villa following the marriage. It was her sumptuous country residence complementing her house on the Palatine Hill in Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torrenova (Rome)</span> Zona of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Torrenova is the 16th zona of Rome, identified by the initials Z. XVI. It belongs partly to the Municipio VI and partly to the Municipio VII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labaro</span> Zona of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Labaro is the 57th zona of Rome, identified by the initials Z. LVII. It is located 11 kilometres north of the city center, along the Via Flaminia, just outside the Grande Raccordo Anulare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cesano (RM)</span> Zona of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Cesano is the 52nd zona of Rome, Italy, identified by the initials Z. LII. It takes its name from the small medieval village of Cesano di Roma, on the Via Cassia, which is located within the Municipio XV, 27 km from Rome proper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Settecamini</span> Zona of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Settecamini is the 6th zona of Rome, identified by the initials Z. VI.. Settecamini is also the name of the urban zone 5L, within the Municipio V of Rome.

Colle Salario is a frazione of the Municipality of Rome (Italy), located in the zone Z. II Castel Giubileo, within the territory of the urban zone 4E Serpentara of the Municipio Roma III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ATAC SpA</span> Public Transport Society in Rome

ATAC S.p.A. is an Italian publicly owned company running most of the local public transportation services, paid parking and incentive parking lots in Rome. More specifically, the company handles, on behalf of Roma Capitale Authority, the entire tramway, trolleybus network and metro lines, as well as most of the bus lines in the city. It also operates, on behalf of the Administrative Region of Lazio, three railways: Roma-Civita Castellana-Viterbo, Roma-Giardinetti and Roma-Lido. ATAC S.p.A., with its 2,200-kilometer-wide public transport network, its over 8,500 busses and 70,000 parking stalls, is currently one of the biggest public transportation companies in Europe and the largest in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Storta</span> Zona of Rome in Lazio, Italy

La Storta is the 51st zona of the Italian capital city, Rome. It is identified by the initials Z. LI and falls within the boundaries of Municipio XV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flaminio (Rome)</span> Quartiere of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Flaminio is the 1st quartiere of the Italian capital Rome. Identified by the initials Q. I, it belongs to the Municipio II and has 13,018 inhabitants and an area of 1.1877 km². The name is derived from the Via Flaminia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tor Cervara</span> Zona of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Tor Cervara is the 7th zona of the Italian capital Rome, identified by the initials Z. VII. It belongs to the Municipio IV and has 13,975 inhabitants (2016). It is located in the east of the city, within the Grande Raccordo Anulare, and has an area of 5.9000 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinciano</span> Quartiere of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Pinciano is the 3rd quartiere of Rome (Italy), identified by the initials Q. III. The name derives from the Pincian Hill. It belongs to the Municipio II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castel Giubileo</span> Zone of Rome in Lazio, Italy

Castel Giubileo is the second Zone of Rome in the Ager Romanus, identified as Z. II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cimitero Flaminio</span> Cemetery near Rome, Italy

The Cimitero Flaminio is a cemetery in Rome (Italy), outside the Grande Raccordo Anulare to the north, between the Via Flaminia and the Via Tiberina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Via Tiberina</span>

The via Tiberina was an ancient Roman road, which from the north of Rome, going up the right bank of the Tiber river, crossed the ancient center of Veio, Capena and Falerii Veteres countryside to Tiber Valley and continued towards Ocriculum, today in Umbria. Today, in the metropolitan city of Rome Capital, its route coincides with the provincial road 15 / A Tiberina.

References

42°00′N12°29′E / 42.000°N 12.483°E / 42.000; 12.483