L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano PAULA REYNOLDS T he Eternal City is a world-renown desti- nation for good rea- sons. Filled with his- torical monuments (hello, Colis eum), gorgeous piazzas, priceless works of art, and over 900 churches, it would take a couple of lifetimes to see it all. All are certainly worthy of seeing, but sometimes the beaten path can, well, beat a tourist up pretty bad. Time to shift gears and become a curious wanderer – equally easy in Rome! Meandering through the var- ied and colorful neighborhoods of Rome can lead to untold dis- coveries so often overlooked by visitors, and sometimes even by locals. Today, Rome is subdivid- ed into 22 distinct neighbor- hoods known as rioni. Some are more famous than others due to hosting iconic sites, such as the rione of Monti, home to the Pala- tine Hill and Circus Maximus. Rome hasn't always boasted of 22 neighborhoods, however. Seeing the need for organization within his expanding city, Emperor Augustus decreed in the first century AD that Rome would be divided into 14 regions, each to hold as equal a number of citizens as possible. Augustus' boundaries held fairly steady into the 12 th century; however, the numbers of rioni and borders saw an ebb and flow of changes into the late 1500s. With the city pretty much in shambles both politically and aesthetically, Pope Sixtus V was elected in 1585 to follow Grego- ry XIII. Seen as a tough man who had the wherewithal to get the city back on its feet, Sixtus didn't disappoint even though his reign lasted only five years. Part of his initiative was to restore Rome physically to its earlier grandeur, and this includ- ed re-establishing the original 14 neighborhoods. Nothing lasts forever, though, and over the ensuing years, new neighbor- hoods were added and bound- aries again shifted. By 1921, Rome reached the still-standing number of 22 rioni. However, the original 14 were, and still are, recognized as "the historic rioni of Rome" and the authentic names remain in use. The early 1920s also brought a re-focus to Rome's neighbor- hoods. An architect by the name of Pietro Lombardi had been commissioned to construct a drinking fountain for the Testac- cio rione. But not just a boring, everyday drinking fountain, mind you! His challenge was to design and build something that would reflect the history of the neigh- borhood, as well as be an admirable centerpiece for a piaz- za. From about 140 to 260 AD, the ward known as Testaccio was a major delivery port for olive oil and other goods off-loaded from ships navigating the Tiber river. The clay amphorae used at that time would eventually become rancid and have to be tossed aside…literally. As decades passed, the broken vessels grew into what is still known as Monte Testaccio – a "mountain" con- sisting of purposefully organized pieces of approximately 53 mil- lion broken amphorae. Taking this into consideration, Lombardi designed a cleverly crafted foun- tain of travertine featuring a tower of amphorae with water pouring into the lower reaches where nasoni (drinking spouts) await a thirsty passerby. Officials took note of Lom- bardi's creativity and declared him winner of a contest that called for designing and con- structing an elaborate drinking fountain (fontanella) for Rome's remaining 21 neighborhoods. As with his Fonte delle Anfore in Testaccio, the fountains' designs were to represent in some way what made the neighborhood unique. Construction of the fontanelle began and, for reasons undis- closed, Lombardi only completed eight between the years of 1926 and 1929. Still flowing and pro- viding a refreshing drink to foot- weary wanderers, Lombardi's fountains might be considered small potatoes compared to megastars such as the Trevi or Fontana della Barcaccia at the Spanish Steps. However, for those pausing long enough to admire his works, the rewards are a guaranteed smile at the clever means in which he por- trayed the eight fontanelle. Let's take a look. Rione I – Monti One of the oldest rioni, Monti originally encompassed three of the "seven hills of Rome;" thus, the namesake of Monti, meaning mountains. A rather hip scene defines the neighborhood today that was many years ago a subur- ra: a slum-type area seething with thieves and ladies of the night. Monti's logo consists of three simple images of rounded mounds to represent the hills – Esquilino, Viminale, and Celio - that laid within its boundaries. Lombardi's Fontana dei Monti reflects the coat-of-arms, with a trio of star-covered mounds that support a larger cen- ter mound. Small pools rest at the feet, collecting water for local use. The fontanella is prac- tically a secret, even to residents, as it sits on a quiet street in the heart of Monti. Rione IV – Campo Marzio This rione wears the title "Field of Mars," a moniker dat- ing back to its designation as a military training zone up through the fourth century AD. Why, then, would its Lombardi foun- tain, Fontanella delle Arti (Foun- tain of the Arts), not sport some brazen war-god image of Mars fighting a centaur to the death? Instead, we find a whimsical fountain decorated with theatre masks, artists' stools, and a bucket bearing brushes as the crowning feature. The artist focused on the more contemporary scene found along the main thoroughfare of the neighborhood, Via Margutta: the arts. Campo Marzio underwent a transformation in the Middle Ages and became the Roman epicenter for artists and actors. Art shops and theatres still line the lively street of Via Margutta and entertain the steady stream of day visitors. The fact that the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo are found within the boundaries of Campo Marzio certainly adds to the appeal of this zone, as well as the number of admirers for Lombardi's quaint fountain. In a second installment, we'll visit the remaining six Lombardi fontanelle. La Fontana delle Arti, in Rome's own Via Margutta Rione e Fontanelle – Rome's historic neighborhoods and their clever fountains. Part I Campo Marzio, the "Field of Mars," one of Rome's Rioni ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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