ALREADY KNOW YOUR NEXT DESTINATION?
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE AUDIOGUIDE
The Isola Tiberina is a small island situated between the two banks of the River Tiber. If you look at it, you will see that it is similar in shape to a boat. In fact, in the past its ends were covered with white marble, simulating the bow and stern of a vessel. This is due to a legend according to which, in the 3rd century BC, a group of Romans returned from Greece with instructions to build a temple in honour of Aesculapius. These Romans had been to see Sibyl so that she would tell them how to stop the epidemic that was rife at the time. During their return journey they saw how a snake identical to that which wound itself around the rod of Aesculapius was positioned on the island, indicating the place to build the temple.
Thus a building was constructed on this site as well as a statue in honour of Aesculapius which you will find on the east jetty.
In later times, Emperor Otton III built a new church over the temple of Aesculapius dedicated to his friend Adalbert. This church was where the remains of Saint Bartholomew ended up and, after the death of Otton, everybody forgot the figure of Adalbert and it became to be known as the church of Saint Bartholomew.
The island has always been associated with the sick and medicine and today, as well as the church, there is a hospital.
Remember that to get to the island you must cross the Ponte Fabricio, the oldest bridge on the Tiber, or the Ponte Cestio.
Ara Pacis Augustae (42)
Baths of Caracalla (92)
Circo Massimo (90)
Forum Boarium (86)
Pantheon (46)
Piazza Navona (54)
Santa Maria Maggiore (21)
Via Condotti (38)
Arco di Constantino (11)
Campidoglio (3)
Colosseum - Description (10)
Imperial Forums (7)
Piazza and Porta del Popolo (40)
Piazza Venezia (50)
Trastevere (75)
Villa Borghese (44)
Aventino (91)
Domus Aurea (13)
Il Ghetto (88)
Palazzo della Cancelleria (65)
Piazza di San Ignacio (52)
San Clemente (14)
San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura (99)
San Pietro in Vincoli (12)
Santa Maria del Popolo (41)
Santa Maria in Cosmedin (89)
Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura (100)
Santi Quattro Coronati (15)
Terme de Diocleziano (23)
Catacombs of San Callisto (96)
Fontana delle Tartarughe (61)
Isola Tiberina (82)
Palazzo Farnese (63)
Pincio (39)
San Crisogono (84)
San Luigi dei Francesi (57)
San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura (97)
Santa Maria della Concezione (35)
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (47)
Sant'Agostino (58)
Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza (59)
Testaccio (87)
Cimitero Acattolico (93)
Gianicolo (80)
Palazzo Altemps (55)
Pasquino (56)
Ponte Sant'Angelo (74)
San Francesco a Ripa (85)
San Paolo Fuori le Mura (98)
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere (81)
Santa Maria della Vittoria (24)
Santa Prassede (19)
Sant'andrea al Quirinale (28)
Santo Stefano Rotondo (16)
Via Veneto (32)
Complesso di San Michele a Ripa (83)
Il Gesù (49)
Palazzo del Quirinale (27)
Piazza Barberini (34)
San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (29)
San Giovanni in Laterano (17)
San Pietro in Montorio (79)
Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (18)
Santa Maria in Aracoeli (51)
Santa Pudenziana (20)
Sant'Andrea della Valle (66)
Teatro di Marcello (62)
Barracco Museum (64)
Montemartini Museum (94)
Palazzo Corsini (78)
Vatican Museums - Pius-Clementine Museum (72)
Capitoline Museums (4)
Museo e Galleria Borghese (45)
Palazzo Doria Pamphili (48)
Vatican Museums - Rafael Rooms (70)