The size of this little island in the middle of
the river Tiber is 300mx80m. In Ancient times the island, which
lay opposite the city’s port, had large structures of white
travertine at either and built to resemble the stern and prow of
a ship. The legend wants it to be born in 510 b.C. either on the
deposits of corn thrown to the river by Romans during an uprising.
The island thus was consecrated to the god of medicine Esculapio
(till our days a hospital stands here).