Quartiere San Lorenzo

San Lorenzo is a district ("quartiere") in Rome, Italy.

It occupies roughly the two sides of the early stretch of Via Tiburtina, starting from Termini railway station and ending at the Verano area. The latter includes the ancient basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, which the district takes its name from.

Traditionally a popular, left-oriented area, during World War II San Lorenzo was heavily bombed by Allied planes (1943-07-19). The only massive bombing of Rome during the war, it aimed to disarray the railway communication pivoting in the nearby huge goods transfer station; however, it caused also extensive damage to the edifices of the district (including the Policlinico Umberto I and the basilica itself) and killing some 1,500 people.

Today San Lorenzo, due to the vicinity of the La Sapienza University, is increasingly assuming the character of a student and young artist district. Every evening, hundreds of young people descend on the area, much to the chagrin and protests of the habitants of the area.Pizzerias, boutiques and other modern places are subsequently replacing the old popular workshops and small markets.

Trivia

*Italian singer-songwriter Francesco De Gregori released in 1982 a song dedicated to the 1943 bombing. It is included in the "Titanic" album of 1982.

ee also

*San Lorenzo fuori le Mura
*Porta Tiburtina
*Verano cemetery

References

*Claudio Rendina, "Enciclopedia di Roma", Newton Compton, Rome, 1999.