087a.

Passo della Barchetta all' Armata

This view looking upstream toward St Peter's and the Borgo is named after the barchetta (cable ferry) in the left foreground, which appears also on the Nolli map spanning the river at the level of the Strada dell'Armata (NN 691/689). Another barchetta, with the same rounded awning, is visible crossing the river further upstream, Plate 87. In Vasi's day Rome within the walls had only three functioning bridges (counting the Island's bridges as one), so these ferries (as noted above; Nolli shows six in all) fulfilled an important river-crossing service. In the left foreground Vasi depicts a man awaiting the approaching ferry on a set of steps at the river's edge. On the left bank Vasi refers to the buildings lining the river as "parte della Lungara" (1). This is a reference to Strada della Lungara (NN 1208), meaning roughly "street along the river," a toponym which survives in the modern river roads, all named Lungotevere ("along the Tiber"). Above the riverside buildings are visible the dome of St. Peter's (2) Plates 41, 41A, and the Villa Barberini (3) "ai bastioni," referring to the Borgo bastions near Porta S. Spirito, Plate 15. The bell tower of the church of S. Spirito and the adjoining hospital (4) with its octagonal tower are seen at the center of the print, see Plate 171. On the right bank the tall dome of S. Giovanni dei Fiorentini (5) Plate 87, rises above the buildings lining the river. S. Giovanni is the sole survivor of this group, the rest having disappeared around 1900 with the building of the river walls.