Rome is a city which certainly needs no introductions. It’s a location as widely recognised as they get, yet you may be more familiar with its historical significance than its basic geography. If so, then you may be wondering what river flows through Rome?
What river is Rome on?
As you can guess from the existence of this post, Rome does have a large river flowing through it. It would be difficult for a city to become so renowned and important without one in the old times. Rome lies primarily on the Tiber River, which extends for 252 miles (406 km) and is the third longest river in Italy. It connects Rome to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The origin of Tiber’s name is unclear, as it may originate from pre-Latin times, just like the Roman name, Tibur. There’s an etymological myth about Tiberinus, the ninth king of Alba Longa, drowning in the river and the name coming from that.
But that’s not all. There’s a second river, Aniene, which crosses into Tiber in northern Rome. You may encounter some locals calling it ‘Teverone’ (big Tiber), as it was once called. Funnily enough, it was called Aniō by the Romans, and Aniō has the same etymological myth trope of a king drowning in the river, this time in search of his kidnapped daughter.
The river Almone, a small river south of Rome, was once also connected to Tiber, but sadly urban development did its thing and it was cut off. Now it’s a polluted mess and no longer a part of the infrastructure.
Bridges over the Tiber
The Romans were the world’s first real bridgemakers, and it shows. There are dozens of bridges in Rome hovering over its rivers, with the Fabrician Bridge, the Sixtus Bridge, the Saint-Angelo Bridge and the Aemilius Bridge just to name a few charming ones.
Does Tiber flow through the Vatican?
Nope, it does not. Though the Vatican City is practically right next to it, as it’s literally on the west bank of the Tiber River.
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