Testaccio

The Testaccio neighborhood of Rome is located South of downtown Rome along the Tiber River and borders the Aurelian Walls. The neighborhood was constructed before the turn of the 20th Century. The establishment of a slaughterhouse downstream and on the outside of the city was in response to widespread global health issues relating to livestock and disease. Cholera was prevalent among Europe and the Middle East during the 19th Century so public health was becoming a more important issue. in 1906, Upton Sinclair penned The Jungle which shed new light on the conditions of the meatpacking industry in the United States. City planners constructed social housing neighborhoods adjacent to the slaughterhouse for the purpose of housing the workers of the plant as well as to act as a buffer between the city and the slaughterhouse.

The slaughterhouse was in operation from 1891-1975, and closed due to the increased sprawl of urban Rome. Slaughterhouses were located to other parts of the city. The neighborhood around the slaughterhouse remained, and much of the former facility has been repurposed to host offices of local Universities in Rome, new fair-trade restaurants, as well as a large public gathering area in the center of the facility where the livestock used to be corralled. Some of the old equipment remains in the buildings leftover from the facility.

The neighborhood adjacent to the facility today remains as one of the more vibrant neighborhoods of Rome. There are numerous parks situated through the neighborhood, and the age demographics vary from small children, professionals, and older generations. The neighborhood boasts an upbeat market with vendors providing produce, meat, & fish and there are also restaurants creating various products. The market includes shared public seating for market goers to enjoy a bite to eat as well.

Our guide and Testaccio resident, Dr. Andrew Kranis, suggested we eat at his favorite location – Mordi & Vai. Owner Sergio Esposito creates traditional Roman street food and his speciality is a beef brisket sandwich called “The Scottona” that is dressed with sautèed chicory. This was my favorite meal I have had on my trip!

The neighborhood demonstrates a rather hard working- working class character. This is derived from the former presence of the slaughterhouse in the neighborhood. This attitude can be reflected in numerous displays, including one of the churches in the neighborhood. The Santa Maria Liberatrice is designed with a relatively modest architectural style compared to other churches of Rome, emulating the working-class energy & modesty of the neighborhood.

Between the slaughterhouse facility and the neighborhoods, there exists an expansive hill created over hundreds of years from smashed pottery. When goods used to be shipped along the Tiber River in pottery containers, they would be destroyed afterwards because they were single-use containers. The accumulation of the clay pots over the years has created a hill in the neighborhood and also displays varied greenery from the spread and growth of seeds with the natural materials of the ceramics. The hill provides a wonderful vantage point of the city. Today, bars and nightclubs encircle the hill around the perimeter, drawing in local youth from Rome as well as students temporarily studying in Rome. It is one of the hottest locations for nightlife in Rome.

The borders of the neighborhood are well defined along the Tiber River and at the Aurelian Walls on the south side of Rome. A striking feature of this border is the Pyramid or “Piramide” of Caius Cestius. The pyramid was an ancient tomb dating back to the Roman Republic period, and also now is a part of the Aurelian Wall because of its structural soundness.

-Jackson Szabo