A beautiful Hotel in one of the most

characteristic areas of Rome, Ponte Milvio

RIVER CHATEAU HOTEL

Via Flaminia 520, Rome

BOOKINGS

The River Chateau is a beautiful new hotel (open April 1st 2004) in one of the most charming areas of Rome, Ponte Milvio, approx 1 mile North of the city centre. The ancient Roman bridge of  Ponte Milvio was built in 109 BC and it has been the scene of important events in history, the most famous being the battle between the Roman Emperors Constantine and Maxentius; but also connected with Cardinal Bessario and the relics of St. Andrew Apostle and Giuseppe Garibaldi.

The River Chateau Hotel is a beautiful 4 star plus hotel. Rooms and terraces look on nearby Villa  Borghese and Villa Glori, on the new  Opera House of Rome, on the bridges of Ponte Milvio and Ponte Flaminio and on the beautiful gardens of Villa Brasini - a spectacular palace of very unique look.

The rooms of River Chateau Hotel are beautifully furnished with charming coloured carpeting and ceiling decorations - in tones of red and green. All rooms have modern TV-screens for cable and satellite TV and other services such as voice mail, internet access, email, and tourist information.

Bathrooms have beautiful accessories and are beautifully decorates with marble floors and mosaics. Marble floors and mosaics also decorate most of the hotel floors.

Hotel bar and boutique near the reception area. Elegant entrance-way with fountains.

ROOM RATES   -   PICTURE GALLERY   -   RESTAURANT   -   CITY SHUTTLE 

The neighbourhood of Ponte Milvio is one of the most lively of Rome. Developed around the ancient Roman Milvian Bridge and along the ancient Roman road Via Flaminia is a mixture of history and tradition which survives the modern city pace. Here you can find popular bars and clubs, a very popular marketplace, a monthly antique's fair, typical Roman trattorias, fine restaurants -included the very fine one of the River Chateau Hotel- very fine ice cream and cake shops, shoe shops, a famous bakery, a fine cheese shop, elegant clothing and leather bags shops, barber shop, and many attractions nearby.

ENTERTAINMENT

HOTEL SURROUNDINGS

MUSIC - In the vicinity of the River Chateau Hotel is the new Opera House, a complex of four (4) theatres for music (classic, traditional, jazz, pop) and other events. The calendar of concerts is filled with great appointments on every season. Teatro Olimpico for ballets.

               OPERA HOUSE

SPORT - The nearby complex of Foro Italico is the house of Rome Soccer and Tennis. The Olympic Stadium is where the most famous Italian teams play the Italian tournment!

One of Rome's bicycle path runs next to the bridge (Ponte Milvio) and follows the river ending at the Vatican. Half way to the Vatican another section of the bicycle path leads to the Borghese Gardens and the Museums of Modern Art, Etruscan Art, and the famous Borghese Gallery.

For walking and running one can use the river walk, which runs next to the bicycle path. Only one mile north of the busy city centre one can enjoy nature, and bird and river life watching. It is not unusual to see people fishing and canoeing in this section of the river Tiber.

           THE BICYCLE PATH

            SOCCER STADIUM

FOOD: The River Chateau Hotel has a very fine restaurant with tables outside and inside on the ground level and a terrace. A gourmet chef proposes a high cousine menu. Other restaurants mainly offering  dishes from the Roman tradition can be found in Ponte Milvio. Try also different foods from the many cake & ice cream shops, bread shops and delly shops in the area.

The beautiful tower of Ponte Milvio hosts art exhibits and events. At the foot of the tower a very popular kiosk is the meeting place for the Summer nights while another kiosk on the other side of the street is a popular place to enjoy a Roman Grattachecca (crunched ice with syroups, lemon and coconut.) At night another attraction is the watermelon and cantaloupe shop on the square.

        PONTE MILVIO MARKET

SOME HISTORY

Ponte Milvio is associated with the many battles fought for it, of which the most important and celebrated is the victory of Constantine over Maxentius in 312 (in the background a detail of the fresco by Giulio Romano in the Vatican). It is crossed by Via Flaminia.

Today 
In 1806 Pius VII rebuilt almost entirely the bridge, which was much damaged in 1849 as part of it was blown up by Garibaldi to prevent the French troops entering Rome. 

Pius IX added the statue on the left (l'Immacolata). The one on the right (S. Giovanni Nepomuceno by Francesco Mochi) was there at Vasi's time and can be seen in the plate. S. Giovanni Nepomuceno was considered the patron of those in danger of drowning and this explains why his statues were often erected in the proximity of rivers. He was also the patron of those who suffer because they do not betray secrets, thus the little angel is portrayed with a finger on his lips. For more statues of S. Giovanni Nepomuceno (St John Nepomuk) in Prague click here.

The elegant tower was designed by Valadier. Inside the tower there is one of the very few coats of arms of Callistus III, together with the coat of arms of his nephew Cardinal Rodrigo Lenzuoli Borgia who became Pope Alexander VI. The little moon on the right lower corner is a reference to Cardinal Silvio Enea Piccolomini who became Pope Pius II.

Close to Ponte Milvio in a little square between tall buildings there is a little cemetery where the tombs are grouped around a statue of St. Andrew built here by Pius II to honour the head of the Saint being brought to Rome in the XVth century from Greece, which was falling under the Turk domination. 

Near his Villa Julius III built this little chapel in honour of St. Andrew because he was freed by Charles V on the day of St. Andrew in 1527. He had been given as a prisoner by Clemens VII to the Emperor to grant the respect by the Pope of the agreements reached after the Sack of Rome. The building is by Vignola, who made use of "pietra serena" the grey stone of so many Florentine churches, rather than Roman "travertino". Between Porta del Popolo and the Temple there is a simple, but elegant Renaissance building, known as Casino Del Monte (the surname of Julius III) and renamed Casina Vagnuzzi after the XIXth century restoration by Valadier. 

Immediately after Ponte Milvio the road splits into Via Flaminia leading to Rimini and into Via Cassia leading to Florence. At the VIth mile of Via Cassia a chapel was dedicated to St Andrew by Cardinal Antonio Pignatelli in 1690, just prior to becoming Pope Innocentius XII. A few years later some other buildings were added to the little chapel. Today the buildings host a nunnery and a school.

The area is known as Tomba di Nerone because in the Middle Ages a Roman tomb was thought to be the tomb of the Emperor Nero. Due to the association with Nero, thought to be a sorcerer, the monument had an ill reputation and many unfortunate events occurred in the area were attributed to it. The monument built in the IIIrd century A.D. was dedicated by Vibia Maria Maxima to her father Vibus Marianus and it is finely decorated with reliefs showing among other subjects, Castor and Pollux, the horse tamers demigods who protected Rome.