Ripa Grande

Porto di Ripa Grande was the river port of Rome, just downstream the former Pons Sublicius, where the wares, going up and down the Tiber towards the dock of Fiumicino, were handled. The building of the muraglioni (massive walls) has erased its existence and function, just keeping a trace in the toponymy (the stretch of Lungotevere, that flanks San Michele a Ripa Grande, is called Porto di Ripa Grande, while Via del Porto is the narrow street that links the Tiber to Santa Cecilia in Trastevere and Santa Maria dell'Orto) and in the two ramps giving access to the quay of the river.

During the Roman era, the maritime harbour of Rome was Ostia. From there, the wares destined to the town were transported up the Tiber, along which several docks, with specific functions, were placed.

The general river emporium rose on the left bank of the river, starting from the present Rione Testaccio - where remains of the Porticus Aemilia and of the emporium are still visible - up to the slopes of the Aventine Hill, that for this reason was intensely populated during the Imperial era.

The port area never completely stopped its activity even in the last years of the Empire and during the Middle Ages, serving as a landing place both for pilgrims and wares. It therefore went on housing both structures for craftmanship (carpentry, boathouse, service buildings and so on) and military structures for the control of river traffic and fiscal collection.

The river port of Ripa Grande, that was the main dock on the Tiber, though much less monumental than the Port of Ripetta, was rebuilt in the 17th century opposite to the former Emporium, on the other bank of the Tiber and just a few upstream than the previous location, within Porta Portuense (that had been withdrawn as well).

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