Colonna romana crucifera
Trastevere, 00153 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital
Rating: 5.0 ★ (1 rating)
Details
INCIPIT: A tale of history and urban memory This is a little-known place, which I have been documenting photographically since 2018 and which, over time, I have included and reviewed, observing its changes and its hidden, melancholic location. A place at risk of disappearing twice, first from collective memory and then even from digital maps. I am happy to republish this story, updated and expanded, in the belief that some urban details deserve to be rediscovered and valorized. WHERE IT IS LOCATED: This "Roman Cruciferous Column" is located in the historic center of Rome, Rione XIII (Trastevere), in Piazza di San Francesco d'Assisi. HISTORY BRIEF: It was erected in 1847 by Pope Pius IX to replace an existing column that had fallen into disrepair. On one side of the base is a Latin inscription commemorating this event, which in Italian means: "Pius IX, Pontifex Maximus, donated a column of equal value due to the importance of the area in the year 1847." ARCHITECTURE: The striped Ionic column in white marble stands in the center of the square, atop a tall quadrangular travertine base. It is of great value, having come from an Augustan-era building in the Roman municipality of Veii. A
This is a little-known place, which I have been documenting photographically since 2018 and which, over time, I have included and reviewed, observing its changes and its hidden, melancholic location.
A place at risk of disappearing twice, first from collective memory and then even from digital maps.
I am happy to republish this story, updated and expanded, in the belief that some urban details deserve to be rediscovered and valorized.
WHERE IT IS LOCATED:
This "Roman Cruciferous Column" is located in the historic center of Rome, Rione XIII (Trastevere), in Piazza di San Francesco d'Assisi.
HISTORY BRIEF:
It was erected in 1847 by Pope Pius IX to replace an existing column that had fallen into disrepair. On one side of the base is a Latin inscription commemorating this event, which in Italian means: "Pius IX, Pontifex Maximus, donated a column of equal value due to the importance of the area in the year 1847."
ARCHITECTURE:
The striped Ionic column in white marble stands in the center of the square, atop a tall quadrangular travertine base. It is of great value, having come from an Augustan-era building in the Roman municipality of Veii. An artistic iron cross sits atop it.
Unfortunately, its location is unfortunate: surrounded by cars parked just inches away, it survives thanks to a series of metal columns that protect it from modern impacts and distractions.
FUN FACT: DID YOU KNOW... The square is linked to visits by Saint Francis?
According to Franciscan sources, Saint Francis of Assisi stayed in Rome several times between 1209 and 1223.
Tradition holds that the Saint stayed in the Church of San Francesco a Ripa several times during his travels, when he visited the Pope to discuss the approval of the Franciscan Rules.
The cell of the Hospice of San Biagio, which also houses some of his relics, can still be visited upon request.
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
It is not marked by large tourist signs; it is a place that is encountered almost by chance, escaping the eyes of rushed tourists.
And yet, those who notice it are struck by it: it is a small artifact that speaks of a long-gone papal Rome, a time when the ancient was recovered to give dignity to new urban spaces.
Photographing it means capturing a fragment of distant eras that interact with each other: the Augustan, the Papal, and the contemporary.
IN CONCLUSION:
If this place has piqued your curiosity, let Rome continue to surprise you. Explore my other reviews to discover a secret city, made of details, emotions, and timeless wonders.