Tiber Island, River island in Tiber River, Rome, Italy.
Tiber Island is a boat-shaped river island lying between downtown Rome and Trastevere, measuring roughly 270 meters long and 67 meters wide. Two ancient bridges, Ponte Fabricio and Ponte Cestio, connect it to the surrounding neighborhoods on either bank.
Romans built a temple to Aesculapius, the god of healing, after a plague struck the city in the 4th century BCE. Centuries later, around the year 1000, a church was constructed over these ancient foundations, replacing the pagan temple with Christian worship.
The Church of San Bartolomeo stands at the island's center, mixing architectural styles from different periods of Rome's past. Visitors can sense how religious life has unfolded here across centuries, with the building itself layering old and new elements together.
The island is easily reached by crossing either of two stone footbridges that span from both riverbanks. The ground is flat and walkable, offering several spots to stop and view the water from different angles.
The ancient Romans shaped the island's waterfront with travertine stone to resemble a ship, complete with a central stone mast carved into the embankment. This naval design is easy to miss when walking across the bridges, but it reveals how Romans mixed practical construction with creative imagination.
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