Vitinia
Vitinia: a small suburb of Rome
Physical geography
Vitinia is a suburb located in the Z. XXXI Mezzocammino area, in the territory of the Municipality of Rome IX. It is located in the southwest area of the municipality of Rome, outside the A90 highway, between via Ostiense to the north and via Cristoforo Colombo to the south. The suburb borders via Ostiense to the north, via di Mezzocammino to the west, via Cristoforo Colombo to the south and overlooks the Malafede valley to the east.
History
Vitinia is the oldest post-war district of Rome, founded in 1946 with the name "Risaro". The first traders obtained sales and hygiene-construction licenses as early as 1949. The district grew on the lands of landowners Cerato, Di Marzi, and Sirimaldi, not illegally, but with semi-communal convention documents from 1948 to the Office of the Register for primary urbanization works. On the lands purchased by small landowners, villas and buildings were built, often with gardens that rarely exceeded two floors.
During World War II, the Mezzocammino military fuel depot located in Vitinia was the subject of a German attack shortly after the Cassibile Armistice declared at 7:45 pm by Pietro Badoglio. A self-transported unit of German paratroopers of the 2nd Fallschirmjäger Division attacked the barricade and, after a brief resistance, the infantry of the 103rd "Piacenza" Division were overwhelmed together with the chemical battalion guarding the depot. Despite the bombings suffered by the Allies in 1944, the depot remained active until the 1970s and is managed by the Italian Army.
Monuments and places of interest
Religious architecture
The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus agonizing, on via Sant'Arcangelo di Romagna, is a modernist church designed by architect Ildo Avetta built between 1955 and 1956.
Archaeological sites
In the vicinity of Vitinia was the villa of Lucio Fabio Cilone, senator, consul, and intimate friend of Emperor Septimius Severus (146-211). The presence of the villa is attested by the discovery of a lead water pipe that bore the inscription "LFABICILONISCV". Nearby was also the Refolta bridge, so called from the water reserve for the lean times of the Malafede well, which was one of the most splendid ancient Roman bridges in the Roman countryside.
In conclusion, Vitinia is a small suburb of Rome with an interesting history, where it is possible to visit both religious monuments and archaeological sites. If you want to escape the chaos of the city and take a walk in a peaceful environment, Vitinia is the right place for you.
