Torre di Rebibbia

The name Rebibbia immediately conjures up sad images of a large prison on the outskirts of Rome. Perhaps not everyone knows that both the prison and the surrounding neighborhood take their name from a medieval tower that still stands on a hill overlooking the Aniene River, to the right of the Nomentana, near Via Benigni. Although it appears truncated, the building is well preserved. It rests on ancient Roman concrete structures. The lower section is made of flint, the upper section of regular tuff, with windows enlarged in the modern period and several rows of holes for wooden scaffolding. In the Middle Ages, the place was called Aguzano and is first mentioned in a Papal Bull of 962 as the property of the Monastery of San Silvestro in Capite. The estate and "torricella" were transferred to the church of Santa Maria del Popolo in 1487, and after the Sack of Rome in 1527, they passed from the Monastery of San Sisto to a certain Francesco Salomone. The current name began to appear after 1570, the year in which the tower and adjoining farmhouse were restored by Cardinal Scipione Rebiba, who was also president of the Roman Inquisition.

The Rebibbia Tower served as a lookout and defense, due to its strategic position guarding the Aniene Valley and the road connecting the Nomentana and Tiburtina rivers.

This building is not accessible to the public as it is not open to tourists, tours, or visits of any kind.

A medieval watchtower approximately 9 meters high and with a square plan, it was built on ancient Roman foundations. It was located at the confluence of the Aniene River and an ancient road that connected the Via Tiburtina with the Via Nomentana from Ponte Mammolo.