Ostia (Rome)

Ostia
Frazione
The northern part of Ostia
Ostia
Location of Ostia in Italy
Coordinates: 41°43′59.68″N 12°16′44.18″E / 41.7332444°N 12.2789389°E / 41.7332444; 12.2789389Coordinates: 41°43′59.68″N 12°16′44.18″E / 41.7332444°N 12.2789389°E / 41.7332444; 12.2789389
Country  Italy
Region Lazio
Province Rome (RM)
Comune Rome
Elevation 5 m (16 ft)
Population (2010)
 • Total 85,301
Demonym(s) Ostiensi
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code 00121 - 00122
Dialing code 06

Ostia (/ˈɒstiə/) is a large neighbourhood in the X Municipio of the commune of Rome, Italy, near the ancient port of Rome, named Ostia, which is now a major archaeological site known as Ostia Antica. Ostia (also called Ostia Lido or Lido di Roma or Lido di Ostia) is also the only municipio or district of Rome on the Tyrrhenian Sea and many Romans spend the summer holidays there. With about 85,000 inhabitants, Ostia is the first or second-most populated frazione of Italy, depending on whether Mestre is counted.

Ostia Beach

Geography

From the air: Ostia (left) and Fiumicino (right)

The town is located on the Tyrrhenian coast, close to Acilia and separated from Fiumicino by the mouth of the Tiber River (Tevere).

Climate

Being located on the coast, Ostia enjoys warmer winters and cooler summers than central Rome.

Climate data for Ostia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 12.9
(55.2)		 13.7
(56.7)		 15.3
(59.5)		 18
(64.4)		 22
(71.6)		 25.6
(78.1)		 28.6
(83.5)		 28.7
(83.7)		 26
(78.8)		 22
(71.6)		 17
(63)		 14
(57)		 20.3
(68.6)
Average low °C (°F) 3.7
(38.7)		 4.4
(39.9)		 5.8
(42.4)		 8.3
(46.9)		 11.9
(53.4)		 15.6
(60.1)		 18.2
(64.8)		 18.4
(65.1)		 15.8
(60.4)		 12
(53.6)		 8.1
(46.6)		 5.1
(41.2)		 10.6
(51.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 81
(3.2)		 80
(3)		 66
(2.6)		 56
(2.2)		 33
(1.3)		 15
(0.6)		 15
(0.6)		 33
(1.3)		 69
(2.7)		 94
(3.7)		 112
(4.4)		 89
(3.5)		 743
(29.1)
Source #1: Servizio Meteorologico [1]
Source #2: World Meteorological Organisation (United Nations) [2]

History

Lungomare Duca degli Abruzzi.

Ostia was the site of the death of Saint Monica (mother of Saint Augustine) in 387 on their way back to Africa after Augustine's conversion to Christianity.[3]

In 846, a Saracen fleet of 73 ships landed at Ostia, and raided inland, sacking Rome. In doing so, they burnt the churches of St. Peter and St. Paul. The new pope Leo IV (r.847-855) ordered Rome’s walls to be rebuilt and refurbished, and had them extended to protect the Vatican hill. He also formed a naval alliance with the cities of Amalfi, Naples, and Gaeta, which drove off a Saracen fleet in 849. Three years later Pope Leo IV issued a call to the Franks, declaring "Whoever meets death steadfastly in this fight [against Moslem raiders of Italy] the Heavenly Kingdom will not be closed to him." This becomes a much quoted text among canonists of the High Middle Ages.

The neighbourhood was founded in 1884 near the remains of Ostia Antica, the port city of ancient Rome. This was possible after reclamation of the nearby marshland (the pond of Ostia), which was infested by malaria. The first inhabitants were peasants coming from Ravenna, in Romagna. Due to the opening of the urban Roma-Ostia railway in 1924, the new village soon became the favourite sea resort of the Romans, while many Art Nouveau houses were built on the waterfront.

The new village was connected to central Rome through the new Via Ostiense, which was opened in 1907. During the Fascist period, the government massively expanded the neighbourhood, which got its ultimate architectural character thanks to many new buildings in Stile Littorio. New infrastructures, like a second road to Rome (the Via del Mare), the promenade, and a water airport were all built during this period.

Beach in Ostia

After World War II, many bathing establishments were built on the sea side, and Ostia experienced a tourist boom. The new Cristoforo Colombo avenue connected Ostia with the EUR district in Rome. However, sea pollution, which became apparent during the 1970s, lowered the popularity of Ostia as a sea resort.

The building of the Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino in 1956 made Ostia an attractive district for airport and airline workers.

Italian intellectual, film director and poet Pier Paolo Pasolini was assassinated near the water airport (water aerodrome) on 2 November 1975.

In 1976 Ostia became part of the XIII Municipio of the Comune of Rome.

Nowadays, due to the expansion of the city, only the Park of Castelfusano separates Ostia from the other quarters of Rome.

Transportation

Platforms of Ostia Lido Centro railway station

The regional Rome-Lido railway line, which carries over 90,000 passengers a day, connects Ostia to the centre of Rome, providing up to 12 journeys per hour during rush hour. The full length of the line is 28.359 kilometres (17.621 mi). It has 13 stops, and the journey time is roughly 37 minutes. The Roman terminal is at Roma Porta San Paolo station, very close to the Piramide stop (Rome Metro, Line B) and close to Roma Ostiense railway station. Rail stops in Ostia are Ostia Antica, Ostia Lido Nord, Ostia Lido Centro, Ostia Stella Polare, Ostia Castel Fusano and Ostia Cristoforo Colombo.

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "OSTIA" (PDF). Servizio Meteorologico. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "World Weather Information Service - Ostia". Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  3. ↑ Augustine, Edmund (1977). Confessions. London, United Kingdom: Penguin Books Limited. pp. 196–197. ISBN 014044114X.
  • Lorenzatti, Sandro (2007). Ostia. Storia Ambiente Itinerari. Rome.
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