A Trip Through Rimini - The Previous and Present5767586
If Sigismondo Malatesta a well-known 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 contemporary city today, (Malatesta's castle is still standing) the presence of vehicles, modern buildings and electrical lighting would most likely amaze him. The most incredible thing although apart from the above would probably be Rimini's move to the coast.
The city of Rimini in Malatesta's era had its defences inland which ran about what is these days recognized as the centro storico. When Sigismondo Malatesta came to power he decided a change was in order and promptly embarked on a vast developing programme which included the Tempio
Malatesta - 1 of the finest examples of neo-classical architecture in Europe - and his huge and extremely contemporary fortress, the Rocca Malatesta. The city of Malatesta was constructed 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 existing 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 these days on your trip to Rimini.
Taking a stroll about Rimini today, Malatesta would find the stunning sandy beaches and their magnetism fairly 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 were away from the city of Rimini's main defences. Italian cities just like
Rimini had been 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 numerous tourists from the globe over, 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 1 of the first tourist to take a dip in the stunning 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 getting visited the city of Rimini in the summer month of August of 1790 (over 300 years after the death of Sigismondo Malatesta), and stayed for more than two weeks to advantage from the wonderful sea air and waves.
Rimini is one of those classic holiday destinations for Italians and tourist alike. Rimini has been blessed with sun, sand and sea as well as culture. The classic beach holiday and culture holiday coexist here in Rimini a lot to the delight of all that arrive here. Rimini is effortlessly reached by many direct flights from numerous cities around Europe.
