Trastevere Rione

Trastevere is the XIII rione of Rome, located on the west bank of the Tiber, and south of Vatican City. Trastevere translates literally “beyond the Tiber.” Its logo is a golden head of a lion on a red background, the meaning of which is uncertain.  In the Middle Ages Trastevere had narrow, winding, irregular streets; moreover, because of the structures of the front buildings there was no space for carriages to pass. To allow passages the structures of the buildings were modified. However, Trastevere remained a maze of narrow streets. The inhabitants of Trastevere, called Trasteverini, developed a culture of their own. Nowadays, Trastevere maintains its character because of its preservation of its narrow cobbled streets lined by medieval houses. At night, both natives and tourists alike roam through its many pubs and restaurants. Within Trastevere John Cabot University, the American Academy in Rome, and the Rome campus of the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, the Canadian University of Waterloo School of Architecture, and the American Pratt Institute School of Architecture reside therefore serving as a home to an international student body.  The unique character of this neighborhood has attracted artist, foreign expats, and may famous people.

Being a ten minute walk away from Trastevere and enjoying the beauty both at sunset and at midnight I can see why its attracts tourists to the area. Walking alongside the Tiber river; or just stopping for a moment to enjoy its beauty a sense of serenity and happiness sets in. Trastevere is known for its unconnected roads and maze like structure; being a victim of its maze I can say that I was overwhelmed and a bit frustrated. Nevertheless, its maze like structure and its architecture is something that I appreciate. I remind myself at times to stop and look around to take in the beauty of my surroundings. Trastevere is a great place to become and explore, get lost and find your way back.

The beauty and the character that Trastevere is known for with was confirmed both by a resident and a non-resident whom my partner Natalie and I had the pleasure of interviewing. We decided to enter Bar de Malva, we interviewed one of the workers in the bar who was a non-resident of Trastevere, Sujoy. What a great name, Sujoy. He shared with us that he was born in Rome, grew up in Conneticut, and moved back to Rome upon graduating college. He stated that the only time he is in Trastevere is for work. He shared with us that he had only been in Rome for the past two weeks and finds the prices in Trastevere to be expensive. We learned from him that Trastevere had not become such a popular and expensive place until about ten years ago. He mentioned that the area of Trastevere had become so popular because of its view to the river and the historic medieval structures of the buildings that fill the streets. After, interviewing Sujoy, we interviews Pierre, a resident of Trastevere for generations.  

Pierre provided much information about Trastevere that I would have not known otherwise. He shared with us his personal view when we asked “What makes Trastevere unique?” he answered “The quiet day and busy night time.” Pierre shared with us that Trastevere becomes alive at night filled with natives and tourists attracted by the pubs and restaurants. We also asked Pierre, “Is Trastevere considered a diverse neighborhood?” Pierre replied that he considered Trastevere to be an extremely diverse neighborhood. A bit bedazzled by his response we asked him what he meant by diverse. He utilized the word diverse to explain that Trastevere is a unique place separated from the rest of the rione. It has been occupied by generations of family members; people have created a culture and take pride in calling themselves trasteverini. When asked if Trastevere was diverse in terms of people; he responded with a simple no. He said, no because it is a very expensive place where not everyone can afford. I appreciated his honesty and for clarifying what he meant by diverse. Pierre also informed us that even though five universities reside within Trastevere, students only stay for a couple of months and don’t have integrated within the community. Hence, change is little if any at all.

Having the opportunity to interview both Sujoy and Pierre was a very enlightening experience. Trastevere is a unique rione inhabited by generations of trasteverini. I look forward to learning more about the area; being curious and exploring it, getting lost, and finding my way back.