A Trip Through Rimini - The Previous and Present3154099
If Sigismondo Malatesta a famous 15th Century Lord of Rimini came back, what would he make of Rimini these days? Apart from some of the obvious variations in between the renaissance city of Malatesta and the modern city these days, (Malatesta's castle is still standing) the presence of cars, modern buildings and electrical lighting would most likely amaze him. The most incredible thing though apart from the above would most likely be Rimini's move to the coast.
The city of Rimini in Malatesta's era had its defences inland which ran about what is today recognized as the centro storico. When Sigismondo Malatesta came to power he decided a alter was in order and promptly embarked on a vast building programme which integrated the Tempio
Malatesta - 1 of the finest examples of neo-classical architecture in Europe - and his enormous and extremely modern fortress, the Rocca Malatesta. The city of Malatesta was built on leading of the existing city - in other words on the site of the Roman city of Ariminum which was founded in the year 286 B.C. Malatesta utilized the current Roman monuments at the time, including the well-known Ponte di Tiberio and Arco d'Augustoand incorporated them into his city. These famous monuments can nonetheless be noticed today on your trip to Rimini.
Taking a walk around Rimini these days, Malatesta would discover the beautiful sandy beaches and their magnetism quite puzzling during the summer time months. Back in Malatesta's day the practice of lying in the sun on the beach and going for a dip would have been strange if not harmful as the beaches back then were places for smuggling and brigandry as they had been away from the city of Rimini's primary defences. Italian cities just like
Rimini were often at war with each other and had been in continuous conflict with their neighbours. Malatesta, all through his life was in a continuous energy struggle with Federico da Montefeltro, Lord of Urbino and also the Pope.We also know that Pope Pius II excommunicated Sigismondo in 1460 declaring him a heretic.
So when did Rimini begin to turn out to be a city that is, for Italians and the many vacationers from the world more than, synonymous with sun, sea, and sand? In his fascinating study of the history of sea bathing in Rimini - Una costa lunga due secoli (Panozzo Editore), Professor Feruccio Farina, of the University of Urbino, sheds light on one of the first tourist to take a dip in the beautiful sea in Rimini. Her name was Elisabeth Kenny, and she was the young Irish wife of a Roman noble. Professor Feruccio Farina says that she is recorded as having visited the city of Rimini in the summer time month of August of 1790 (more than 300 years after the death of Sigismondo Malatesta), and stayed for more than two weeks to advantage from the fantastic sea air and waves.
Rimini is 1 of these classic holiday destinations for Italians and tourist alike. Rimini has been blessed with sun, sand and sea as well as culture. The classic beach vacation and culture vacation coexist here in Rimini much to the delight of all that arrive here. Rimini is easily reached by many direct flights from many cities around Europe.
