Ancient Rome The settlement of Ostia, according to tradition, was built under the reign of the fourth king of Rome
Ancus Marcius, around 630 BC, as the first official Roman
colonia on the then coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea and near the mouth of the Tiber river.
Ostia Antica was the port city of ancient Rome, and is often referenced in writings from the times of the
Roman Republic and the
Roman Empire. It was the main port of Republican Rome; the main function of Ostia was that of supplying salt and grain although the archaeological site suggests that it had, in the beginning, an important military function as the base of the first Roman fleets. Proof of its importance is the exemption from military conscription during the
Second Punic War. Later the port, partially blocked by a sandbank, became unsuitable for large ships and was replaced by the hexagonal
port of Trajan. Given the important position at the mouth of the Tiber, Cardinal
Giuliano della Rovere ordered the construction of a fortress to defend the river to stem pirate raids; however, a major flood in 1557 diverted the course of the river, nullifying the strategic function of the fort, which was supplanted by
Tor San Michele and
Tor Boacciana.
Modern and contemporary age An important stand in
Italian nationalism of the 19th century was a veneration for the glories of the Roman past, manifested in a wish to revive or recreate various places and institutions connected with Ancient Rome. In 1871, the city of Rome
became the capital of the new
Kingdom of Italy. A recreation of Ostia was an obvious additional step. The modern neighbourhood of Ostia was founded in 1884, near the remains of Ostia Antica. This was possible after reclamation of the nearby marshland, which was infested by malarial mosquitos. The first inhabitants were laborers from
Ravenna, in
Romagna, who took care of the reclamation of the entire area. 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. church of
Santa Maria Regina Pacis a Ostia Lido 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 due to many new buildings in Stile Littorio. The neighborhood was planned, and partially built, according to the urban planning criteria in force at the time and the stylistic themes of
Italian rationalism. New infrastructure, such as a second road to Rome (Via del Mare'), the promenade, and a water airport, were all built during this period. The "
Roma bathing establishment" built in 1924 and destroyed by the
Axis powers retreating from Rome in 1943, became an emblematic symbol of the Roman coast. The new
Via Cristoforo Colombo was built on the occasion of the 1942 universal exhibition, to connect the
EUR district to Ostia and the center of Rome. Beginning in the early 20th century, in response to the new, modern and dynamic society that characterized Europe at the time and the emergence of new lifestyles, such as the distinction between work and leisure, more and more bathing establishments were built. Ostia experienced rapid population and tourist growth, becoming Rome's seaside resort. In 1976, Ostia became part of the
X 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. == Places of interest ==