https://cgmr.carleton.edu/files/original/c5fd9ba650939504cf851016c88c31a9.jpg 6255fd323e90f26cf3216c0a6ec29a56 Place A location with a street address or larger region. Examples include building, statue, piazza, fountain, port, neighborhood, paintings, sculptures, frescoes, floors. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Ripa Grande and The ‘Pilgrim’s Bank’ Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nate Grein (2017) Edited by Tim Abbott (2026) Description An account of the resource By the time Pope Leo IV (847-855) fortified Porta Portese (Rome's southernmost gate) with three defensive towers to combat Muslim pirates, the Ripa Grande (depicted on Antonio Tempesta's map of Rome, seen above) had emerged as one of Rome's premiere ports. Strategically located on the west bank of the Tiber River in Trastevere and tapping into the Mediterranean trade network, over the next three centuries the Ripa Grande grew into one of Rome's foremost commercial centers. As a consequence, the port revitalized the city's naval trade, which had waned after the abandonment of the ancient Marmorata port across the river during the 5th and 6th centuries. The port's principal imports included Greek and Spanish wine, grain, and oil, although rice, sugar, and luxury goods also passed through the port. From there, the commodities flooded into Trasteverine markets, as well as other marketplaces across the Tiber, such as the ancient Foro Boario near the Capitoline area of Rome. The Ripa Grande also played a central role in Christian pilgrimage routes to Rome in the medieval period. Travelling up the Tiber River from the port in Fiumicino, pilgrims poured into the Ripa Grande and, most likely, travelled along Via Lungaretta to visit Rome's sacred spaces. Over time, and particularly during Jubilee years, the influx of pilgrims transformed the Ripa Grande from a lively urban neighborhood into a hectic hub of religious and commercial activity. For this reason, the Ripa Grande was appropriately nicknamed the "Pilgrim's bank." Today, unfortunately, nothing remains of this important medieval site. The embankment project in 1880 led to the demolition of the port's ships, docks, and infrastructure. Nonetheless, key locations in the port's history remain intact. The Marmorata Port, for instance, has been remarkably well preserved on the left bank after its excavation in the late 19th century. Additionally, constructed into the Aurelian wall during the ancient period and frequently used during the medieval period, the Porta Portese on Via Portuense still stands. Most importantly, we may walk along the steps in front of the Institute of San Michele complex on Porto di Ripa Grande and imagine the galleys and rowboats that populated the Tiber River and this flourishing harbor, serving as an important reminder of this port's location and medieval past. Abstract A summary of the resource. Strategically located on the west bank of the Tiber River in Trastevere and tapping into the Mediterranean trade network, the Ripa Grande steadily grew into one of Rome's foremost commercial centers throughout the middle ages. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ripagrandepilgrimsbank_2015 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Krautheimer, Richard. Rome: Profile of a City, 312-1308. Hong Kong: Princeton University Press. "Ponte Sublicio." Informational panel, intersection at Via Marmorata and Lungotevere Testaccio, by MP Mirabilia. Robbins, Deborah King. "A case study of medieval urban process: Rome's Trastevere (1250-1450)." Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, 1989. Tempesta, Antonio. Plan of the City of Rome. From The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1645. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 800s Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Porto di Ripa Grande, 00153 Roma RM, Italy Type The nature or genre of the resource Place The Tiber Trastevere Unsure on details