Ostiense District The New Street Gallery of Rome
Ostiense is a cool and trendy district that has been becoming one of the best areas to stay in Rome thanks to its vibrant nightlife and places to eat. Among the things to see and do, Ostiense street art is one of the most colorful and a great chance to appreciate Rome’s modern and contemporary artwork.
Whether you come from Testaccio or Garbatella, the two neighboring districts, you will see beautiful murals end to end. If you get off at San Paolo station of the Rome metro B line near St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica and start walking towards the Ostiense neighborhood in south Rome, you will start seeing the local street art pretty quickly.
Let’s face it, when you wonder what to do in Rome, a street art itinerary is not exactly the first thing that will come to your mind. But it’s a pity. Of course, if you only are to spend one day in Rome or even two days, it’s totally understandable that you want to give priority to its major landmarks of ancient history, Renaissance palaces and paintings, and important churches.
However, if you are visiting Rome for 5 days, or even better, a week, the local street art will pleasantly surprise you. You can start here in Ostiense and also visit other neighborhoods that are famous for their street art projects such as Quadraro and Tor Marancia.
Where to see the Ostiense District murals
Most of the murals are along the main Via Ostiense road and its back streets, but the project goes from Garbatella all the way to Testaccio through Ostiense. Close to Garbatella metro station, is the mural from German artist Clemens Behr “Behind and in front of the wall”. While near St Paul’s Cathedral you can see “Opera Onirica” by the Spanish Sam3 (195, Via Ostiense), where a star-dressed silhouette is staring at a light sphere with human-shaped shadows inside.
With this graffiti painted on the facade of the former station of the air force, Blu sought to address the social scourge of the homeless people and the abusive housing.
In Via del Porto Fluviale is also the mural by Peruvian artist Carlos Atoche “La caduta dei giganti” made in collaboration with Mexican Luis Alberto Alvarez. A beautiful colorful mural symbolizing the ephemeral nature of all human powers and the stronger resistance Nature opposes to them.
