GO TO THE MENU
GO TO THE CONTENTS

Initiatives

Nessun evento in programma.

Iniziative speciali

  • RICERCA COLLABORATORI

dal 13 agosto, 2012
al 15 agosto, 2012
SI RICERCANO 30 COLLABORATORI PER L'EVENTO DI FERRAGOSTO AD OSTIA

PER INFO CONTATTARE GLI UFFICI DELLA PROLOCO ...

Leggi l'articoloLeggi l'articoloREAD MORE

Ostia Antica


OSTIA ANTICA SUBURB


The suburb is a unique place. It has many different architectural styles that can still be admired today.

The ancient Gregoriopolis has within its walls, that were restored by the Cardinal of Estouteville, several examples of the Roman period, such as a sarcophagus, that now is a fountain pool, epigraphs and sepulchres, evidence of a necropolis in the area. But there is more: you can also admire a basilica which dates back to 1400, whose underlying structure is medieval; the Episcopio (where bishops lived); the Castle or residences of Julius II, which date back to the late 1400.


EPISCOPIO


The first time a bishop was sighted in Ostia was in 229, when Bishop Ciriaco took care of Ostias Christian community.
But the Bishop of Ostia gained importance only after religious peace, achieved during Constantines period.
Since Ostia then became the prelates place, all its members could wear pallium and consecrate the newly elected at the Holy See.

Thousands of prelates, 11 of whom became Pope, such as Urban II (1088-1099), Lucius III (1181-1185), Gregory IX (1227- 1241) and Alexander IV, Innocence VI (1352-1362), Julio II (1503-1513) and Paul IV (1560-1565), passed for its see. In the XVI century after the burgs improvements under the direction of the Pontelli, a renewal of the Episcopio, the bishopsresidence, was also planned by Cardinal Raphael Riario (1511-1521), appointed bishop of Ostia by Julius II who enlarged the residence with a new wing laying on the right side of Saint Aurea Basilica.

Architect Baldassarre Peruzzi was also involved in the Episcopes renewal.
With the help of Caesar from Milan he beautified the Honour room with paintings and decorations and connected the Episcopal residence to the church by indoor stairs.

In 1656 during the Black Death, the building was used as a lazaret for the infected.

Today the Episcope-located on the right side of the basilica- is structured on two floors plus a mezzanine one, and there is also a small yard belonging to the ancient cemetery area.
The rooms inside are mostly decorated with Peruzzis frescos.


ST. AUREA CATHEDRAL


The current St. Aurea Cathedral stands above a paleochristian church, built in IV century A.D. by Constantine to honour Saints Peter, Paul and John Baptist.

This building was restored during the middle ages: Pope Sergio I (687-701) rebuilt the roof while 100 years later Leone III (795-816) repaired the internal and external elements.

The IX century witnessed the changes that the Cathedral underwent to be preened.
Over that very period, it played an important part in the holy worship that helped Pontiff Leone IV encourage soldiers before the battle of Ostia.
In the XV century, the Cardinal of Estouville decided to redecorate the suburb and demolish St Aureas Cathedral in order to reconstruct a new one, whom project was entrusted to the architect Baccio Pontelli who cooperated with Sangallo and Baldassarre Peruzzi.

Today, the cathedral is a suggesting evidence of the Renaissance with its marble structure and its classical appeal; also its interior side, that was abundantly restored, mark this simplicity.
Outside, you can see curvature mullioned windows with two lights.
On the left side of the cathedral, you can still admire a little garden where the headstone of St. Monica, St. Augustins mother who died of malaria in 387 in Ostia, has surfaced during excavations.
The coat of arms of the Rovere family, on the memorial, show the chronology and give information on who did it; on the right side of the present altar of the cathedral, you can see an architectural element on which is engraved S.A/R (abbreviation that remember Aureas name). It dates back to the V century, while the church ornaments, such as marble scraps and slabs which are around the church and close to the Julius IIs castle, dates back to VIII-IX century.


ST. AUREA FIGURE


We know precious little about St. Aurea.
According to the tradition, Aurea was a member of an aristocratic Roman family and a group of Christians persecuted near theatre (or arcum ante theatrum) in 268 A.D.
During Aureas lifetime, Roman Catholics were severely persecuted and forced to worship Gods, by burning incense on altars, to avoid being tortured or decapitated.
The 32 Christians, including Aurea, who refused to do that were executed.
Her body is believed to have been taken to the bank of the river Tiber by bishop St. Ippolito, after being drowned.
Later he buried it in the Aurea family homestead, outside the walls of Ostia.
Her remains were subsequently placed into a paleochristian cathedral, located nearby, that the inhabitants of Ostia considered dedicated to her. Although she was venerated for long, her sepulchre was believed to have been forgotten, but it was found during the demolition of the cathedral, ordered by the Cardinal of Estouteville.

Later, her remains were transferred to Albano.


JULIUS II


Born in 1443 in Albisola Superior, Savona area, and appointed Cardinal in 1471, he became Pope in 1503.
Julius IIs fame is due to his political initiatives to reconquer the territories of the Papal States lost by his predecessors, thats the reason why hes remembered as The Knight Pope.
To reconquer some territories lost in Romagna, he formed The Cambrai alliance with France, Spain and the Empire, and defeated the Venetians at the battle of Agnadello (1509).
A few years later, without any scruple, he broke the coalition to make The Holy Alliance with Venice, Spain and England (1511) against France, to make the French leave Italy and give Milan back to the Sforza family.
Julius IIs pontificate is also remembered for his Maecenas activities: he commissioned several labours in Rome to the most important and famous artists of that period (Michelangelo, Raffaello and Bramante).


JULIUS II'S CASTLE


The castle defending the burg has a scalene triang shape with the base facing the sea; in fact, in times past, the Tiber rivers mouths were next to the castle walls.
Because of its primary role in the coastdefending system-mainly to defend Rome, the castle was built by Cardinal DEstouteville.
He first had the Martin V tower renewed, and later he entrusted famous architect Baccio Pontelli to build the castle with the help of Giuliano from Sangallo.
The building was finished in 1484 under Cardinal Della Roveres direction, whose activity is testified by the inscription on the marble architrave of the central portal, which bears the name of architect Pontelli too.

Today the castle has four towers, from where the tower of Martin V can be seen, that forms the donjon on which the coats of arms of the Popes who brought improvements to the castle are very well visible: on the left we can see Sisto IVs coat of arms, in the middle that of Julius II and on the right the one of Innocent VIII.
The building is surrounded by a moat.
There is also a yard from where we can reach and visit some military service zones and other places where the soldiers used to live. In the garden is a ramp whose walls were decorated by Baldassarre Peruzzi, from where we can reach the parade ground and the third floor formed by three rooms with five windows facing the yard; the castle indeed was also used as the Popes residence.
During the XVII and XVIII centuries Ostia was abandoned and the castle was used as a hay deposit and dormitory for prisoners employed in digging lands in the area.

GO TO MENU
GO TO CONTENTS