Situated in the Emilia-Romagna region along the Adriatic Sea coast in the east is the wonderful city of Rimini, the most popular Adriatic seaside resort along with Riccione. It attracts a lot of tourists for its beautiful sunny beaches. Rimini’s first settlements date back to 268 BC with inhabitants ranging from Etruscans, Umbrians, Greeks, Gauls and the Romans. It became an important trade route connecting central and northern Italy while trade was carried out by sea and river too.
Rimini attracted many Roman Emperors that included Augustus who decided to restructure the city and it is during this period that important constructions took place such as the Tiberias Bridge, Arch of Augustus, the Amphitheatre and the San Stefano Church, which was built by Galla Placida. There were constant conflicts between ruling kings in Rimini, apart from which the city was ravaged by passing armies, pirates, earthquakes, famines and floods.
In the mid 19th century, Rimini was transformed into a tourist attraction with the building of the Kursaal and bathing establishments followed by the Grand Hotel, which was built during the early 20th century. Again, during World War II, the city suffered due to heavy bombardment and it was only in 1944 after its liberation that the city’s reconstruction began. Although the city went through both construction and destruction down the centuries, we can still see some of the ancient buildings standing in place today.
Some of these ancient attractions include the Tiberias Bridge, which began construction in 14 AD on the order of Emperor Augustus and was finished under the rule of Tiberius. The bridge that stands on five arches is still functional today, connecting Rimini to Borgo San Giuliano and leading to consular roads through Emilia and Popilia. The famous 13th century Tempio Malatestiano, which began reconstruction under Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta and was originally in the Gothic style, never got completed, but it houses the tombs of Sigismondo and his wife.
Other significant places of interest include the Arch of Augustus, remains of the Roman Amphitheatre, San Giuliano Martire Church, Castel Sismondo, which was originally built as the city fortifications and later converted to a prison. Teatro Galli, the town hall with its small picture gallery, Gambalunga Library housing important manuscripts, the bell tower and the Archeological Museum are some of the other places that can be visited.
The climate of Rimini is pleasant and can be visited at any time of the year. The Federico Fellini Airport serves Rimini as well as San Marino while railway routes connect the city to various parts of Italy.
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Photo by Francesco Favalesi provided courtesy of Panoramio.com