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Visit Rome following 8 XVIIIth century itineraries XVIIIth century Rome in the 10 Books of Giuseppe Vasi - Le Magnificenze di Roma Antica e Moderna The Grand View of Rome by G. Vasi The Environs of Rome: Frascati, Tivoli, Albano and other small towns near Rome A 1781 map of Rome by G. Vasi An 1852 map of Rome by P. Letarouilly Rome seen by a 1905 armchair traveller in the paintings by Alberto Pisa The 14 historical districts of Rome An abridged history of Rome How to spend a peaceful day in Rome Baroque sculptors and their works The coats of arms of the popes in the monuments of Rome Pages on a specific pope Pages complementing the itineraries and the views by Giuseppe Vasi Walks in the Roman countryside and in other towns of Latium following Ferdinand Gregorovius A Directory of links to the Churches of Rome A Directory of links to the Palaces and Villas of Rome A Directory of links to the Other Monuments of Rome A Directory of Baroque Architects with links to their works A Directory of links to Monuments of Ancient Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Medieval Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Renaissance A Directory of links to Monuments of the Late Renaissance A list of the most noteworthy Roman Families Directories of fountains, obelisks, museums, etc. Books and guides used for developing this web site An illustrated Glossary of Art Terms Venice and the Levant Roman recollections in Florence A list of Italian towns shown in this web site Venetian Fortresses in Greece Vienna seen by an Italian XVIIIth century traveller A list of foreign towns shown in this web site
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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.
Collegio Ecclesiastico a Ponte Sisto (Book 9) (Map C3) (Day 7) (View D8) (Rione Regola)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view
The fountain
Cappella di S. Francesco d'Assisi
Conservatorio delle Zoccolette
S. Caterina da Siena

The Plate (No. 178)

Collegio Ecclesiastico a Ponte Sisto

The large building near Sixtus IV's bridge, was built by Pope Sixtus V to provide a harbour for the many beggars who lived in Rome. Pope Paulus V added the large fountain which brought the water of Acqua Paola on the Janiculum to this part of the city. The fountain closed the perspective of Via Giulia. The view is taken from the green dot in the 1748 map below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Part of Ponte Sisto; 2) Cappella di S. Francesco; 3) Fontana di Ponte Sisto; 4) Collegio Ecclesiastico; 5) Dome of SS. Trinità de' Pellegrini. 1) and 5) are shown in other pages. The map shows also 6) S. Caterina da Siena.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The area today

The need to avoid Tiber floodings, forced the new Italian Government to build what are now called the "LungoTevere", (relatively) large tree lined avenues on top of large walls built on the river banks.
This impacted heavily on this area and especially on the Hostel, which was reduced in size and given an ordinary looking XIXth century aspect.

The Fountain

The Fountain of Paulus V

The fountain is now on the other side of the Tiber, so that the inscription celebrating the water being brought citra Tiberim is now a false statement, because the fountain is trans Tiberim (it is in Trastevere). The fountain by Giovanni Vasanzio has some surprises for the watchful eye, one of which (a sort of face) is shown in my background.

Cappella di S. Francesco d'Assisi

S. Francesco

Sixtus V provided the hospice with a chapel the entrance of which was to the right of the fountain and which was pulled down in 1885. However the fine wooden ceiling decorated with the heraldic symbols of the pope was moved to S. Caterina della Ruota.

Conservatorio delle Zoccolette

Conservatorio delle Zoccolette

At the beginning of the XVIIIth century Pope Clemens XI moved part of the beggars housed in the building to S. Michele a Ripa and used the resulting empty space for a new institution aimed at helping young women. They were provided with wooden-shoes (It. zoccolo) so the institution became known as Conservatorio delle Zoccolette. It is worth noting that in today's Roman slang zoccola means a woman of little virtue. In Via delle Zoccolette there is a very old madonnella.

S. Caterina da Siena

S. Caterina da Siena

In nearby Via Giulia there are several national churches (click here for a list of national churches in Rome). Siena was an independent Republic until 1557, when it was conquered by Cosimo I who with this annexation became the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Merchants and bankers from Siena lived in Via Giulia from the XVth century onwards and in the first half of the XVIth century they built a church dedicated to S. Caterina. The church was totally rebuilt in 1775 and it constitutes an interesting example of the transition from the late baroque to the neoclassical style. It was designed by Paolo Posi who designed the coat of arms of Siena having in mind Bernini's coat of arms in S. Andrea al Quirinale.

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Ospizio Ecclesiastico
Sisto V. per evitare l'incomodo, che pativano i poveri invalidi nell'ospizio presso la chiesa di s. Sisto, ed ancora i benefattori, e ministri, che andavano per servirli, edificò quest'ospizio l'anno 1587. ed ancora la piccola chiesa dedicata a s. Francesco di Assisi.
Paolo V. fece la gran fontana fra la chiesa, e il portone dell'ospizio con disegno di Domenico Fontana eseguito però da Carlo Maderno. Quindi Clemente XI. avendo nell'anno 1714. trasportati i poveri, come dicemmo, nell' ospizio di s. Michele a Ripagrande, destinò questo, parte per conservatorio delle povere zittelle mendicanti, che volgarmente vengono dette le Zoccolette, e parte per un convitto di ecclesiastici; ed ancora vi fu unito l'antico ospizio de' cento Preti, ed insieme lo spedale di questi; e l'uno, e l'altro furono dati in cura ai religiosi Scolopj.

Next plate in Book 9: Chiesa delle Stimmate di S. Francesco
Next step in Day 7 itinerary: Chiesa della SS. Trinità e Ospizio de' Pellegrini
Next step in your tour of Rione Regola: Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio alla Regola