A Trip Via Rimini - The Past and Present7514771
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 apparent variations between the renaissance city of Malatesta and the modern city today, (Malatesta's castle is nonetheless standing) the presence of cars, contemporary buildings and electrical lighting would probably amaze him. The most amazing factor 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 around what is today known as the centro storico. When Sigismondo Malatesta came to energy 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 huge and extremely contemporary fortress, the Rocca Malatesta. The city of Malatesta was built on top 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 used the current Roman monuments at the time, such as the well-known Ponte di Tiberio and Arco d'Augustoand incorporated them into his city. These well-known monuments can still be seen today on your trip to Rimini.
Taking a walk about Rimini today, Malatesta would find the stunning sandy beaches and their magnetism quite puzzling during the summer 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 locations 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 every other and were in continuous conflict with their neighbours. Malatesta, throughout 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 start to become 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 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 time month of August of 1790 (over 300 years after the death of Sigismondo Malatesta), and stayed for over 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 vacation and culture holiday coexist here in Rimini a lot to the delight of all that arrive right here. Rimini is easily reached by many direct flights from numerous cities about Europe.
