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L‘Artigianato del Rione MontiMonti, I rione di Roma, 14.654 inhabitants, density of 8720 /km2.
‚Il primo rione di Roma è Monti‘, the first quarter of
Rome is Monti says Alberto Manodori when he starts
his essay about the history of Rome. The most original
roman quarter, besides Trastevere on the other side of
the river, sticks out for its density of old, rooted Romans
and their diverse handcrafts. Three of the seven hills of
ancient Rome are part of it: Esqulino, Quirinale and Vi-
minale, which gave the ‚Rione‘ its name and can still be
seen in the emblem. Also parts of the ancient roman
city belongs to it: the ‚Fori imperiali‘, the ‚Terme di Tito‘,
the ‚Terme di Traiano‘ and the rests of the ‚domus au-
rea‘ on the small hill ‚Oppio‘ are based in the quarter.
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After a really dense population ‚Monti‘ has been almost
abandoned in the middle ages and was mostly used
by farmers for vineyards, barns and gardens. But the
people resettled it again after 1870 and made it today
to one of the most compact parts of Rome. After the ra-
pid change of Montis rivalling quarter Trastevere it was
the only rione in the city centre that kept its character.
„Infatti il rione è rimasto lo stesso
dall‘ antichità fino agli anni ‚80. E sempre stato po-
polare, habituato dagli artigiani - fabbri, falegnami,
restauratori , ma anche delle prostitute.“ (...) says
the restaurator Giuseppe Parisi who left his for-
mer profession as a bank employee to follow his
passion for antique furniture and pieces of art.
„È il rione più antico di Roma. Non sono i stessi edifici
ma il spirito non ha mai veramente cambiato.“ Ro-
man poet Catull is born here, Dictator Nero used to
stroll incognito through its dark and narrow alleyways
in order to hear what the plebs is saying about him,
Messalina, Emperor Claudios wife is said to have had
an appartment for secret meetings with her lovers.
Goods were crafted and sold in the small shops, fa-
mily life was taking place on the upper levels. This
character even survived several drastic urbanis-
tic interventions in the 1880‘s that were, on the one
hand, part of a great Masterplan for the whole city,
but should as well help to „clean“ the quarter, make
it more accessible, secure and easier to supervise.
The large Via Cavour, which is overgoing completely
the riones small scale, has been cut right through
it‘s heart in order to connect the central station Ter-
mini to the fori imperiali and the in that time already
growing „Ara della patria“. By doing so Monti was
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seperated in two parts. The second large injury to
the urban body is the extension of Via dei Serpenti
to the Colosseo. A part of the „Oppio“ hill had to be
removed in order to achieve the connection by Via
degli Annibaldi from Santa Maria ai Monti that further-
more offended the Colosseos first intended urbani-
stic setting- in a broad valley, surroundded by hills.
Even if the quarters visual appearance had comple-
tely changed the „tessuto sociale“ and for this it‘s
particular flair stayed the same for other 100 years.
„Purtroppo da 20 anni, Monti sta cambian-do.“
About 20 years ago the worldwide tendency of city
centres becoming prestigious and for that reason
also precious living areas started here as well. Rents
began to rise incredibly, and as „quasi tutti appar-
tamenti sono d‘affitto la maggior parte degli veri
Monticiani ha dovuto abbandonare il rione.“ Gius-
eppe Parisi starts to laugh as we ask him if he lives
in Monti- it‘s already quite difficult to keep his shop
in Via Urbana situated next to a metalworker and
a newly opened boutique for scandinavian fashion.
„Il problema non sono i touristi. A Monti c‘ è semp-
re stato tourismo visto ch‘ è situato acanto i mo-
numenti romani piu importanti! È che la gente chi
viene abitare qua non vive veramente il quartie-
re. Sono delle persone chi tornano qua solo la
sera dopo il lavoro, solo per dormire. Non han-
no bambini, e dopo un paio d‘ anni se ne vadono.“
Claudio Bartolacci, the instrument maker in Via
della Madonna dei Monti lowers his voice as we
ask him for the reasons for the change. „Ci sono
poche persone di potere chi abitano qua chi vo-
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gliono tagliarsi il rione come una camicia su mi-
sura.“ and looks at me with a meaningful gaze.
„Loro vogliono chiudere il rione per creare un piccolo
borgo di campagna. Come sulle cartoline illustrate.
Senza traffico, senza botteghe rumorose e sporche.“
According to him, the limitated traffic has had a remar-
kable influence on his business that he took over from
his father who opened the shop over 70 years ago. „The
biggest change and the biggest problem is the viability
and the inhabitants (...)“ Giulio Murasco, native Napo-
letanian one of the last goldsmiths left in Via Baccina
the former „via degli orafi“ agrees. „Certo, il quartiere
e più pulito, più ,carino‘...ma i negozi sono tutti chiusi!“
What sounds strange, considering the impressi-
ve amount of newly opened fashion-, music- and
accessory boutiques, fancy bars and restaurants
can only be explained by the lack of shops supply-
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ing the needs of everyday life and the gradual dis-
appearance of the diverse handcraft scene that gi-
ves space to a globalised mall-like structure- that
has equivalents in every major city. It doesn‘t mean
that all the shops are closed, but the ones which
were deeply rooted in the history of the quarter.
Artist Francesco Acca
can unknowingly serve as example of the history of
Monti. Living at Piazza della Madonna since 1965
and working as a car mechanic close by he has spent
most of his life here in the „rione più bello di tutta
Roma!“ In 1999 he switched his passion and professi-
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on and turned his garage in a gallery were he displays
his own and other artists works. „Io rimarrò sempre
a Monti. Ho avuto la fortuna di avere potuto comp-
rare il mio appartamento negli anni ‘60. Sennò non
sarei più qua.“ For him the changes are very obvious:
„Vai vedere fuori. Quando io sono arrivato, le strade
erano piene di gente, di bambini,...c‘era il mercato
nella strada ogni giorno. Non c‘è piu la famiglia al ri-
one Monti.“ Theres no more wet laundry drying in the
sun on Montis roof terraces, bankers, chiefdoctors or
chief editors have taken over the upper appartments.
Handcrafts have dramatically lost importance in
the second half of the 20th century because of the
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perfection of industrial production. The develop-
ment that is taking place in Monti at the moment is
only arriving delayed in comparison to other Euro-
pean city centres. The main value of the quarter is
no longer the professional knowledge and exper-
tise of the settled artigiani but the position within
the city and its beauty which attracts the creative
branch. The amount of newly opening architecture,
graphic or design practices is on the rise. There is
no other place in Rome where there can be found
such diverse and distinguished fashion boutiques.
If one considers those professions as the contem-
porary continuation of oldfashioned handcrafts the
authentic essence of the old quarter remains, but the
area now moves to a more modern cosmopolitan beat.
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