Rimini ( , ; or ; ) is a city in the
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...
region of
Northern Italy.
Sprawling along the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
, Rimini is situated at a strategically-important north-south passage along the coast at the southern tip of the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...
. It is one of the most notable seaside resorts in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, with a significant domestic and international tourist economy. The first bathing establishment opened in 1843. The city is also the birthplace of the film director
Federico Fellini, and the nearest Italian city to the independent
Republic of San Marino.
The
ancient Romans
The Roman people was the ethnicity and the body of Roman citizenship, Roman citizens
(; ) during the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. This concept underwent considerable changes throughout the long history of the Roman ...
founded the
''colonia'' of in 268 BC, constructing the
Arch of Augustus and the
Ponte di Tiberio at the start of strategic roads that ended in Rimini. During the Renaissance, the city benefited from the court of the
House of Malatesta, hosting artists like
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...
and producing the
Tempio Malatestiano. In the 19th century, Rimini hosted many movements campaigning for
Italian unification. Much of the city was destroyed during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and it earned a gold medal for civic valour for its
partisan resistance. In recent years, the
Rimini Fiera has become one of the largest sites for trade fairs and conferences in Italy.
As of 2025, Rimin has 150,630, with 340,665 living in the
eponymous province, making it the twenty-eighth largest city in Italy.
History
Ancient history

The area was inhabited by
Etruscans until the arrival of the
Celts
The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...
, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC at the mouth of the Ariminus (now called the Marecchia), the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
founded the
''colonia'' of Ariminum.
Ariminum was seen as a bastion against
Celtic invaders and also as a springboard for conquering the Padana plain. The city was involved in the civil wars of the first century, aligned with the popular party and its leaders, first
Gaius Marius, and then
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
. After crossing the
Rubicon, the latter made his legendary appeal to the legions in the Forum of Rimini.
As the terminus of the
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia () was an ancient Roman roads, Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to ''Ariminum'' (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had f ...
, which ended in the town at the surviving prestigious Arch of Augustus (erected 27 BC), Rimini was a road junction connecting central and northern Italy by the
Via Aemilia that led to
Piacenza
Piacenza (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Piacenza, eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more ...
and the
Via Popilia that extended northwards; it also opened up trade by sea and river.
Remains of the amphitheatre that could seat 12,000 people, and a five-arched bridge of
Istrian stone completed by Tiberius (21 AD), are still visible. Later
Galla Placidia built the church of Santo Stefano.
The evidence that Rimini is of Roman origins is illustrated by the city being divided by two main streets, the Cardo and the Decumanus.
The end of Roman rule was marked by destruction caused by invasions and wars, but also by the establishment of the palaces of the Imperial officers and the first churches, the symbol of the spread of
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
that held the important
Council of Ariminum in the city in 359.
Middle Ages
When the
Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populatio ...
conquered Rimini in 493,
Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the
Gothic War (535–554)
The Gothic War between the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Roman emperor, Emperor Justinian I and the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy took place from 535 to 554 in the Italian peninsula, Dalmatia (theme), Dalmatia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Cors ...
, Rimini was taken and retaken many times. In its vicinity the Byzantine general
Narses overthrew (553) the
Alamanni. Under the Byzantine rule, it belonged to the
Duchy of the Pentapolis, part of the
Exarchate of Ravenna.
In 728, it was taken with many other cities by
Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735.
Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter.
In the 13th century, it suffered from the discords of the Gambacari and Ansidei families. The city became a municipality in the 14th century, and with the arrival of the religious orders, numerous convents and churches were built, providing work for many illustrious artists. In fact,
Giotto inspired the 14th-century School of Rimini, which was the expression of original cultural ferment.
The
House of Malatesta emerged from the struggles between municipal factions with
Malatesta da Verucchio, who in 1239 was named
podestà (chief magistrate) of the city. Despite interruptions, his family held authority until 1528. In 1312 he was succeeded by
Malatestino Malatesta, first ''signore'' (lord) of the city and
Pandolfo I Malatesta, the latter's brother, named by
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV (; 1 April 1282 – 11 October 1347), called the Bavarian (, ), was King of the Romans from 1314, King of Italy from 1327, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1328 until his death in 1347.
20 October 1314 imperial election, Louis' election a ...
, as
imperial vicar of
Romagna.
Ferrantino, son of Malatesta II (1335), was opposed by his cousin Ramberto and by Cardinal
Bertrand du Pouget (1331), legate of
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII (, , ; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death, in December 1334. He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Papacy, Avignon Pope, elected by ...
. Malatesta II was also lord of
Pesaro
Pesaro (; ) is a (municipality) in the Italy, Italian region of Marche, capital of the province of Pesaro and Urbino, on the Adriatic Sea. According to the 2011 census, its population was 95,011, making it the second most populous city in the ...
. He was succeeded by
Malatesta Ungaro (1373) and
Galeotto I Malatesta
Galeotto I Malatesta (1299–1385) was an Italian condottiero from the House of Malatesta who was lord of Rimini, Fano, Ascoli Piceno, Cesena and Fossombrone.
Biography
Born in Rimini, he was the son of Pandolfo I Malatesta and the brother of Mal ...
, uncle of the former (1385), lord also of
Fano
Fano () is a city and ''comune'' of the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region of Italy. It is a beach resort southeast of Pesaro, located where the ''Via Flaminia'' reaches the Adriatic Sea. It is the third city in the region by pop ...
(from 1340), Pesaro, and Cesena (1378).
His son,
Carlo I Malatesta, one of the most respected
condottieri of the time, enlarged the Riminese possessions and restored the port. Carlo died childless in 1429, and the lordship was divided into three parts, Rimini going to
Galeotto Roberto Malatesta, a Catholic zealot inadequate for the position.
The Pesarese line of the Malatestas tried, in fact, to take advantage of his weakness and to capture the city, but
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Carlo's nephew, who was only 14 at the time, intervened to save it. Galeotto retired to a convent, and Sigismondo obtained the rule of Rimini.
Sigismondo Pandolfo was the most famous lord of Rimini. In 1433,
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elect ...
, sojourned in the city and for a while he was the commander-in-chief of the Papal armies. A skilled general, Sigismondo often acted as
''condottiero'' for other states to gain money to embellish it (he was also a dilettante poet). He had the famous
Tempio Malatestiano rebuilt by
Leon Battista Alberti
Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, Catholic priest, priest, linguistics, linguist, philosopher, and cryptography, cryptographer; he epitomised the natu ...
. However, after the rise of
Pope Pius II, he had to fight constantly for the independence of the city.
In 1463, he was forced to submit to Pius II, who left him only Rimini and little more;
Roberto Malatesta, his son (1482), under
Pope Paul II, nearly lost his state, but under
Pope Sixtus IV, became the commanding officer of the pontifical army against Ferdinand of Naples. Sigismondo was, however, defeated by Neapolitan forces in the
battle of Campomorto (1482).
Pandolfo IV, his son (1500), lost Rimini to
Cesare Borgia, after whose overthrow it fell to Venice (1503–1509), but it was later retaken by
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II (; ; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope, the Battle Pope or the Fearsome ...
and incorporated into the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...
.
After the death of
Pope Leo X, Pandolfo returned for several months, and with his son
Sigismondo Malatesta held a rule which looked tyrannous even for the time.
Pope Adrian VI expelled him again and gave Rimini to the
Duke of Urbino, the pope's vicar in Romagna.
In 1527, Sigismondo managed to regain the city, but in the following year the Malatesta dominion died forever.
Renaissance and Enlightenment
At the beginning of the 16th century, Rimini, now a secondary town of the Papal States, was ruled by an
Apostolic Legate. Towards the end of the 16th century, the municipal square (now Piazza Cavour), which had been closed off on a site where the Poletti Theatre was subsequently built, was redesigned. The statue of
Pope Paul V has stood in the centre of the square next to the fountain since 1614.
In the 16th century, the 'grand square', which was where markets and tournaments were held, underwent various changes. A small temple dedicated to
Saint Anthony of Padua and a clock tower were built there, giving the square its present shape and size.
Until the 18th century raiding armies, earthquakes, famines, floods and pirate attacks ravaged the city. In this gloomy situation and due to a weakened local economy, fishing took on great importance, a fact testified by the construction of structures such as the fish market and
Rimini Lighthouse.
In 1797, Rimini, along with the rest of
Romagna, was affected by the passage of the
Napoleonic army and became part of the
Cisalpine Republic.
Napoleonic policy suppressed the monastic orders, confiscating their property and thus dispersing a substantial heritage, and demolished many churches including the ancient cathedral of Santa Colomba.
Modern history
The troops of
Joachim Murat,
King of Naples
The following is a list of rulers of the Kingdom of Naples, from its first Sicilian Vespers, separation from the Kingdom of Sicily to its merger with the same into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Kingdom of Naples (1282–1501)
House of Anjou
...
, marched through Rimini on 30 March 1815.
In a last attempt to gain allies before his defeat in the
Neapolitan War,
Murat published the
Rimini Proclamation, one of the earliest calls for
Italian unification.
In 1845, a band of adventurers commanded by Ribbotti entered the city and proclaimed a constitution which was soon abolished. In 1860, Rimini and Romagna were incorporated into the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
.
The city was transformed after the 1843 founding of the first bathing establishment and the Kursaal, a building constructed to host sumptuous social events, became the symbol of Rimini's status as a tourist resort. In just a few years, the seafront underwent considerable development work, making Rimini 'the city of small villas'.
During
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Rimini and its surrounding infrastructure was one of the primary targets of the
Austro-Hungarian Navy. After Italy's declaration of war on 15 May 1915, the Austro-Hungarian fleet left its harbours the same day and started its assault on the Adriatic coast between
Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
and
Barletta. The
1916 Rimini earthquakes, on 17 May and 16 August, led to the demolition of 615 buildings in the city, with many historic churches severely damaged. 4,174 people were displaced between Rimini and
Riccione. On 19 October 1922, Riccione was separated from Rimini to form a separate .
In
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Rimini suffered sustained
Allied aerial bombardment from November 1943 until its liberation on 21 September 1944.
82% of Rimini's buildings were destroyed, the highest figure among Italian cities with over 50,000 inhabitants.
Around 55,000 refugees fled to the north, to the hinterland, and to San Marino,
where they sheltered in the country's
railway tunnels. As the Allied frontline approached the city,
naval bombardment followed,
and remaining citizens hid in makeshift shelters or in caves by the Covignano hill.
Partisan resistance was also notable in Rimini, with official reports of 400 young people involved in resistance cells. On 16 August 1944, three partisans were hanged in Rimini's central square, which would later be renamed in their honour.
The
Battle of Rimini was a major engagement in the
Gothic Line.
Oliver Leese, the British
Eighth Army's commander, called the advance to liberate Rimini "one of the hardest battles of the Eighth Army ... comparable to
El Alamein,
Mareth, and the
Gustav Line (
Monte Cassino
The Abbey of Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a Catholic Church, Catholic, Benedictines, Benedictine monastery on a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Valle Latina, Latin Valley. Located on the site of the ancient ...
)". Within 37 days of the battle, over 10,000 soldiers had died between the Allied and
Axis forces. For its role in liberating Rimini, the
3rd Greek Mountain Brigade was awarded the honorific title "Rimini Brigade". 1,939 Allied soldiers,
of which 1,413 are British,
were buried in the
Coriano Ridge War Cemetery in
Coriano.
114 Greek soldiers were buried in a cemetery in Riccione's Fontanelle area, and an Indian cemetery with 618 burials is located on the
San Marino Highway.
Following Rimini's liberation, reconstruction work began, culminating in huge development of the tourist industry in the city.
Geography
Location
Rimini is situated at 44°03′00″
north
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and 12°34′00″
east
East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that ea ...
, along the coast of the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
, at the southeastern edge of
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...
, at a short distance from
Montefeltro and
Marche
Marche ( ; ), in English sometimes referred to as the Marches ( ) from the Italian name of the region (Le Marche), is one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. The region is located in the Central Italy, central area of the country, ...
. Rimini extends for 135.71 square km and borders the municipalities of
Bellaria-Igea Marina,
San Mauro Pascoli, and
Santarcangelo di Romagna towards NW,
Verucchio and
Serravalle, San Marino towards SW,
Coriano towards S, and
Riccione towards SE.
Rimini is the main centre of a coastal
conurbation
A conurbation is a region consisting of a number of metropolises, cities, large towns, and other urban areas which, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. In most ...
, which extends from
Cervia to
Gabicce Mare, including the
seaside resort
A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...
s of
Cesenatico,
Gatteo a Mare,
Bellaria-Igea Marina,
Riccione,
Misano Adriatico and
Cattolica
Cattolica (; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Rimini, Italy, with 16,233 inhabitants as of 2007.
History
Archaeological excavations show that the area was already settled in ancient Rome, Roman times.
According to one legend, Catto ...
. The conurbation is a result of urban sprawl as the tourist economy developed along the .
Natural features
Rimini's natural geography provides a strategically-important passage along the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
at the boundary between
northern Italy, characterised by the plains of the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...
, and
central Italy, characterised by more mountainous terrain. For its geographical position and its climatic features, Rimini is situated on the edge between the Mediterranean and the central European
microclimates, providing an environment of notable naturalistic value.
Beach

Rimini's coastal strip, made of recent marine deposits, is edged by a fine sandy beach, long and up to wide, interrupted only by river mouths and gently shelving towards the sea. Along the coastline, there is a low sandy cliff, created by the rising sea in around 4000 BC, partly conserved north of Rimini, between Rivabella and
Bellaria-Igea Marina, approximately from the coast.
Rimini's ancient coastline was situated much farther inland: it gradually shifted outward over centuries, with new land developed throughout the 20th century.
Rivers and streams

Rimini's city centre was founded between two rivers: the
Marecchia and the
Ausa. Until the 1960s, the Ausa flowed south of Rimini's city centre, running between the present-day Rimini Sud junction of the
A14 tolled highway and the
Arch of Augustus, where it turned north-east along the old city walls to empty at Piazzale Kennedy. From the 1960s, the Ausa was diverted to flow parallel to the state road along cemented banks, and empty into the Marecchia.
The diversion was completed in 1972, with the Ausa's former route reduced to a sewage outlet, and redeveloped into a series of public parks.
The Marecchia itself, which flows north of Rimini, was also deviated to empty into the Adriatic Sea further north, between San Giuliano Mare and Rivabella. The deviation was prompted because the river was subjected to periodic, destructive floods near its mouth, where the riverbed became narrow after various bends. The ancient riverbed is still used as Rimini's harbour.
Rimini's southern boundary with the municipality of Riccione is marked by the Rio dell'Asse, a minor stream.
Hills
To its southwest, Rimini is surrounded by several rolling hills: Covignano ( altitude), Vergiano ( altitude), San Martino Monte l'Abbate ( altitude) and San Lorenzo in Correggiano ( altitude). The hills are widely cultivated, with vineyards, olive groves and orchards, and historic villas.
Districts
City centre and boroughs
Rimini's city centre, bounded by the
Malatesta city walls, was divided in the medieval era into four
''rioni''. Clodio, in the city's north, was popular and a peculiar urban structure tied with the Marecchia. Pomposo, in the city's east, was the largest district, and included large
orchard
An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit tree, fruit- or nut (fruit), nut-producing trees that are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also so ...
s and
convent
A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community.
The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
s. Cittadella, in the city's west, was the most important district, including the municipal palaces,
Castel Sismondo, and the Cathedral of Santa Colomba. Montecavallo, in the city's south, is characterised today by bowed, irregular streets of medieval origins, by the Fossa Patara creek and a small hill called Montirone.
[Giorgio Conti and Pier Giorgio Pasini, ''Rimini Città come Storia'', Rimini, Giusti, 1982, p. 215.] The boundaries of these ''rioni'' are not known, but it is assumed that they followed the current Corso d'Augusto, Via Garibaldi, and Via Gambalunga.

Outside Rimini's city centre were four ancient boroughs: San Giuliano, San Giovanni, San Andrea, and Marina. These were entirely incorporated to the city by the urban sprawl in the early 20th century:
[Giorgio Conti and Pier Giorgio Pasini, ''Rimini Città come Storia'', Rimini, Giusti, 1982, p. 251.]
* Borgo San Giuliano, along
Via Emilia, dates to the 11th century and was originally a fishermen's settlement. Dominated by the Church of San Giuliano, it is one of the most picturesque spots of the city, with narrow streets and squares, colourful small houses and many frescoes representing characters and places of
Federico Fellini's films.
* Borgo San Giovanni, on both sides of
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia () was an ancient Roman roads, Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to ''Ariminum'' (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had f ...
, was populated by artisans and the middle class.
* Borgo Sant'Andrea, located outside of
Porta Montanara on the city's southwestern gate, was tied with
agriculture
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
and commerce of
cows.
* Borgo Marina, on the right bank of the Marecchia, was heavily transformed by Fascist demolitions and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
bombings, which hit this area due to its proximity to the bridges and railway station of the city.
San Giovanni and Sant'Andrea were developed in the 15th century; they burned in a fire in 1469 and were rebuilt in the 19th century,
relocating small industries and manufactures, including a
brick
A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...
factory and a phosphorus
matches factory.
Municipality
Rimini's municipality includes the coastal districts of , Viserbella, Viserba, Rivabella, and San Giuliano Mare to the city centre's north. To the city centre's south are the coastal districts of Bellariva, Marebello, Rivazzurra, and
Miramare. These coastal districts are characterised by their tourist economy, with hotels and entertainment venues.
Along the Via Emilia, to Rimini's northwest, is the suburb of Celle and Santa Giustina, just before the border with Santarcangelo di Romagna. North of Santa Giustina are the villages of Orsoleto and
San Vito. Along the Via Marecchiese, to Rimini's east, are the suburbs of Marecchiese, Villaggio Azzurro, Padulli, and Spadarolo, and the rural village of Corpolò. On the road to San Marino is the village of Grotta Rossa. On the road to Ospedaletto is the suburb of Villaggio 1° Maggio and the rural village of Gaiofana. Along the Via Flaminia, to Rimini's southeast, are the suburbs of Colonnella and Lagomaggio.
Climate
Rimini has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Cfa'') moderated by the influence of the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
, featuring autumn and winter mean temperatures and annual low temperatures among the very highest in
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...
.
Precipitations are equally distributed during the year, with a peak in October and minimums in January and July. In spring, autumn, and winter, precipitations mainly come from oceanic fronts, while in summer, they are brought by
thunderstorms, coming from the
Apennines or the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...
.
Humidity is high all year round, averaging a minimum of approximately 72% in June and July and a maximum of approximately 84% in November and December. Prevailing winds blow from west, south, east, and northwest. Southwesterly winds, known as
libeccio or garbino, are
foehn winds, which may bring warm temperatures in each season. On average, there are over 2,040
sunshine hours per year.
Demographics
Population
, Rimini has 150,951 inhabitants, with a density of about 1,100 inhabitants per square kilometre within the city limits.
In 1861, by the time of the first Italian census, the population was around 28,000; in 1931 it was more than double, 57,000.
With the increasing tourism development, population rapidly grew between 1951 and 1981, the fastest growing period for Rimini in the 20th century, when the city's population grew from 77,000 to over 128,000.
During the 20th century, two former districts of Rimini got administrative autonomy, causing two distinct temporary drops in population totals:
Riccione in 1922 and
Bellaria-Igea Marina in 1956.
Foreign population is 18,396, (12.5% of the total), mainly from
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...
,
East Asia
East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...
and
North Africa
North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
. Between 1992 and 2014, foreign population grew from around 1,800 to over 18,000 units. The most important foreign communities are Albanians (3,479), Romanians (2,904), Ukrainians (2,409), Chinese (1,197) and Moldovans (1,023). Other notable foreign groups in the city are Senegalese, Moroccans, Macedonians, Tunisians, Russians, Bangladeshis and Peruvians.
Religion
Rimini's population is mostly
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. The city is the seat of the
Diocese of Rimini, a suffragan of the
Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia.
The first cathedral of the diocese was the former Cathedral of Santa Colomba until 1798, when the title was transferred to the church of Sant'Agostino. Since 1809, Rimini's cathedral is the
Tempio Malatestiano.
Besides Roman Catholic churches, there are also
Orthodox,
Evangelical and
Adventist churches. Between the 13th and 14th century, Rimini had a flourishing Jewish community, which built three distinct synagogues, all destroyed, formerly located around the area of Piazza Cavour, Via Cairoli and Santa Colomba.
Government
In its post-war history, Rimini has largely voted for left-wing parties. In the
1975 regional elections, the
Italian Communist Party won 49.9% of votes in Rimini, its best-ever electoral result.
For much of Rimini's modern history, the city's municipal government has been politically subordinate to other cities in
Romagna. From 1540 until 1797, with a brief restoration in 1815, Rimini was part of the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...
'
Legation of Romagna, headquartered in
Ravenna
Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...
. In 1797, the
Cisalpine Republic incorporated Rimini into the Rubicon Department, headquartered in
Forlì. With the return of the Papal States in 1816, Rimini came under the Legation of Forlì. In 1850, Rimini came under the reformed Legation of Romagna, now with
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
as its capital. Finally, on 27 December 1859, with Romagna's annexation into the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
, Rimini became part of the
Province of Forlì.
On 16 April 1992, for the first time in its modern history, Rimini became a provincial capital with the formation of the
Province of Rimini.
Economy
Tourism
Rimini is a major international
tourist destination and
seaside resort
A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...
, among the most well known in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
basin, thanks to a long sandy beach, bathing establishments, theme parks and opportunities for leisure and spare time. The economy of the city is mainly based on tourism, whose development started in the first half of the 19th century and increased after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In 2017, the city welcomed over 57 million tourists.
Rimini's origins as a seaside resort date to the foundation of the first bathing establishment, the oldest on the Adriatic Sea, in 1843. The width of the beach, the gentle gradient of the sea bed, the equipment of bathing establishments, the luxurious hotels, the mildness of the climate, the richness of curative waters, the prestigious social events, made Rimini a renowned tourist destination among the Italian and European aristocracy during the
Belle Époque
The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...
.Tourism in Rimini started as therapeutic stay (thalassotherapy, hydrotherapy and heliotherapy), evolving into elite vacation in the late 19th century, into middle-class tourism during the fascist era and finally into mass tourism in the postwar period.
The touristic season in Rimini includes the annual (Pink Night), a weekend cultural festival held in early July that includes exhibitions,
music concerts, and
firework displays.
The festival is held across the ,
over which it is estimated to attract two million visitors and revenues exceeding .
Italy's third and fourth oldest
theme parks
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...
were opened in Rimini:
in Rivazzura (1965) and
Italia in Miniatura, a
miniature park in Viserba (1970).
Rimini concentrates about a quarter of
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...
's hotels, with over 1,000 hotels, more than 220 of which are open all year round, aside from apartment hotels, apartments, holiday homes, bed & breakfast and campings. Tourism is mainly based on seaside holidays, but also includes events, nightlife, culture, wellness, food and wine.
Trade fairs and conventions
Rimini is among Italy's leading
trade fair
A trade show, also known as trade fair, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific Industry (economics), industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest Product (business), products and se ...
and convention sites. Relocated in 2001 to the city's west,
Rimini Fiera comprises sixteen pavilions with of exhibit floor, and hosts trade fairs, sporting events, and musical performances, as well as the annual
Rimini Meeting, a religious and cultural festival organised by
Communion and Liberation, a lay Catholic movement. The majority of Rimini's hotels reopen for the conference season, which provides a flow of visitors to the city outside of the summer beach season. The dates of conferences are also used to set municipal regulations on the touristic season along the riviera.
The Fiera's previous site, on Via Monte Titano, was redeveloped in 2011 into Rimini Palacongressi, a smaller conference space. In 2015, the Fiera and Palacongressi were estimated to be worth about a tenth of the province of Rimini's gross domestic product.
Industry and produce
The city's other economic sectors, such as services, commerce, construction industry, have been influenced by the development of tourism.
Commerce
Commerce is the organized Complex system, system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions that directly or indirectly contribute to the smooth, unhindered large-scale exchange (distribution through Financial transaction, transactiona ...
is one of the main economic sectors, thanks to the presence of a large wholesale center, two hypermarkets, department stores, supermarkets and hundreds of shops and boutiques.
Industry, less developed than tourism and services, includes various companies active in food industry, woodworking machineries, building constructions, furnishing, clothing and publishing. Notable companies are
Bimota (motorcycles), SCM (woodworking machines), Trevi S.p.A. (electronic goods). Rimini is also seat of a historic railway works plant.
Agriculture
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
and
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
were the city's main economic sources until the early 20th century. The most common crops, in terms of surface area, are
alfalfa
Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial plant, perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, ...
,
wheat
Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...
,
durum wheat
Durum wheat (), also called pasta wheat or macaroni wheat (''Triticum durum'' or ''Triticum turgidum'' subsp. ''durum''), is a tetraploid species of wheat. It is the second most cultivated species of wheat after common wheat, although it repres ...
,
grape vine,
olive tree,
barley
Barley (), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains; it was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 9000 BC, giving it nonshattering spikele ...
and
sorghum
''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the Poaceae, grass genus ''Sorghum (genus), Sorghum'' cultivated for its grain. The grain i ...
. Among fruit trees dominates
apricot,
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...
and
plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are often called prunes, though in the United States they may be labeled as 'dried plums', especially during the 21st century.
Plums are ...
trees. Important are the traditional productions of
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
(Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Rebola, Pagadebit, Albana wines) and
extra virgin olive oil. The fishing industry can count on a fleet of about 100 fishing boats, the most consistent of Rimini's fishing department, which includes the coast between
Cattolica
Cattolica (; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Rimini, Italy, with 16,233 inhabitants as of 2007.
History
Archaeological excavations show that the area was already settled in ancient Rome, Roman times.
According to one legend, Catto ...
and
Cesenatico.
Arts and culture
Museums
City Museum
The City Museum (), is Rimini's main and oldest museum. It was inaugurated in 1872 as the Archaeology Gallery, at the ground floor of Palazzo Gambalunga, thanks to Riminese historian Luigi Tonini, who researched and studied the city's archaeological heritage. The Archaeology Gallery was conceived as a collection of
Etruscan civilization
The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. Af ...
and
Roman antiquities, found in Rimini and in the surrounding countryside. In 1923, it moved to the monastery of San Francesco, and was expanded with a section of medieval art in 1938. Its collections avoided the destruction of the Second World War after they were moved to shelters in Spadarolo and
Novafeltria. In 1964, the collections moved to Palazzo Visconti and finally, from 1990, to the , a large
Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
convent designed by Bolognese architect
Alfonso Torreggiani, built in 1749.
In the Archaeological department are exhibited grave goods from
Villanovian tombs of
Verucchio and Covignano, architectural pieces, sculptures, mosaics, ceramics, coins of
Republican and
Imperial eras, and the exceptional medical kit from the Domus del Chirurgo. The collection of the Roman Lapidary, exhibited in the inner courtyard of the convent, has funerary monuments, epigraphies and
milestones.The Medieval and Modern Art departments include collections of
painting
Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
s,
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
s and
art objects by artists from
Romagna (
Giovanni da Rimini,
Giuliano da Rimini,
Guido Cagnacci),
Emilia (
Guercino,
Vittorio Maria Bigari),
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
(
Domenico Ghirlandaio,
Agostino di Duccio) and
Veneto
Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
(
Giovanni Bellini), from 14th to 19th century. The City Museum arranges temporary
exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibiti ...
s and promotes researches, study and restoration activities of the city's historical and artistic heritage.
Other museums
The
Fellini Museum, dedicated to
Federico Fellini, houses exhibitions of
document
A document is a writing, written, drawing, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of nonfiction, non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ', which denotes ...
s,
drawing
Drawing is a Visual arts, visual art that uses an instrument to mark paper or another two-dimensional surface, or a digital representation of such. Traditionally, the instruments used to make a drawing include pencils, crayons, and ink pens, some ...
s,
scenographies and
costumes related to the Riminese film director. It opened in 2021 and is spread across the Castel Sismondo, Piazza Malatesta, and Fulgor Palace.
The Museum of Glances () is housed in Villa Alvarado, on the Covignano hill. It was inaugurated by explorer Delfino Dinz Rialto on 9 September 1972, then known as the Museum of Primitive Arts (), and hosted in the .
In 2005, it was rededicated as one of Italy's main museums on the cultures of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
,
Oceania
Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...
, and the
pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...
Americas. 600 works are exhibited in the museum, whose collections number over 7,000 objects.
The Maritime and Small Fishing Museum (), in Viserbella, exhibits Rimini's nautical history through a collection of
boat
A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically used on inland waterways s ...
s,
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
tools,
photograph
A photograph (also known as a photo, or more generically referred to as an ''image'' or ''picture'') is an image created by light falling on a photosensitivity, photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor. Th ...
s and a large
seashells collection, with pieces from all over the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
.
The Multimedia Archaeological Museum () underneath the
Amintore Galli Theatre showcases excavations from the theatre's renovation that uncovered a Roman
domus,
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
finds, and the ancient
Malatesta city walls underneath the theatre. The theatre also includes spaces dedicated to the history of
Italian theatre, the architecture of the Galli Theatre, and the life and music of
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
.
There are two private museums outside the city centre: the Aviation Museum () in Sant'Aquilina, close to the Sammarinese border, and the Motorcycling National Museum () in Casalecchio.
Libraries
Founded in 1619 following a
bequest by Riminese lawyer , the
Biblioteca Civica Gambalunga holds over 300,000 physical exhibits, including 293,879 books. Among notable exhibits include an 11th-century ''
Evangelarium,'' an early 12th-century codex of
Honorius Augustodunensis, a codex by
Hugh of Saint Victor, and letters from
Giovanni Bianchi. A collection from
Adolphe Noël des Vergers records the French project for a collection of Latin
epigraphy
Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
and other 19th-century archaeological ventures.
Other libraries in Rimini include a library of the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...
, a school library in San Giuliano Mare, a bioethics institute's library, the diocesan library in
San Fortunato, and a medical-scientific library in Rimini's hospital.
Theatre and film

The first stable theatre in Rimini is documented since 1681, when the city council decided on the transformation of the 's main hall into a large theatre hall,
hosting shows of amateur dramatics companies and the young
Carlo Goldoni, who was studying philosophy in Rimini at that time.
Between 1842 and 1857, the
Teatro Nuovo Comunale, now the Amintori Galli Theatre, was built to a
neoclassical design by
Luigi Poletti; it is considered one of his architectural masterpieces.
On 16 August 1857, the theatre hosted the world premiere of
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
's ''
Aroldo,''
which was a major event in the city, attracting many foreign visitors. During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the theatre was severely damaged by
Allied bombardment.
Following a complete restoration in the 2010s,
the theatre reopened on 28 October 2018.
Rimini appeared on the movie screen for the first time in some early footages, such as the documentary "Rimini l'Ostenda d'Italia" (1912), and in various Istituto Luce's newsreels in the Thirties. The film director
Federico Fellini, was born and raised in Rimini, portrayed characters, places and atmospheres of his hometown through his movies, which however were almost entirely shot in
Cinecittà's studios in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
:
I Vitelloni,
8 e ½ (Oscar award in 1964),
I clowns,
Amarcord (Oscar award in 1975). Other Italian movies filmed in Rimini includes "La prima notte di quiete" by
Valerio Zurlini, "
Rimini Rimini" by
Sergio Corbucci, "
Abbronzatissimi" by
Bruno Gaburro, "Sole negli occhi" by Andrea Porporati, "Da zero a dieci" by
Luciano Ligabue
Luciano Riccardo Ligabue (born 13 March 1960), commonly known as Ligabue or Liga, is an Italian singer-songwriter, film director, and writer.
Biography
Ligabue was born in Correggio, in the province of Reggio Emilia (Emilia-Romagna in norther ...
and "Non pensarci" by
Gianni Zanasi.
Music
The earliest musician from Rimini was Saint Arduino (10th century); a musical tradition of some distinction was witnessed in the following century by the presence of a music school, named "Scuola cantorum", at the Cathedral of Santa Colomba. French composer
Guillaume Dufay stayed in Rimini, at Malatesta's court until 1427. In 1518
Pietro Aaron became the first choirmaster of the Cathedral's chapel. In 1690
Carlo Tessarini, violinist and composer, was born in Rimini. The city also gave birth to the musician Benedetto Neri, professor at the Academy of Music in
Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
. On 16 August 1857, Rimini's
New Municipal Theatre hosted the world premiere of
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
's ''
Aroldo.
''
Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many social events and dance parties took place at the Bathing Establishment, hosting celebrities such as soprano
Elena Bianchini-Cappelli and tenor
Enrico Caruso.
In recent years, the city inspired the homonymous music album by
Fabrizio De André, released in 1978, and it is cited in various popular Italian and foreign songs by
Fabrizio De André,
Francesco Guccini,
Nino Rota,
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...
,
Fred Buscaglione. Also born in Rimini were the songwriter
Samuele Bersani and the composer and music producer
Carlo Alberto Rossi, author of some of
Mina's songs.
Cuisine
Rimini's cuisine is simple and characterized by intense flavours and it is indissolubly related to the traditions of rural culture, influenced by the city's location—between the sea and the hills and near the border between
Romagna and
Marche
Marche ( ; ), in English sometimes referred to as the Marches ( ) from the Italian name of the region (Le Marche), is one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. The region is located in the Central Italy, central area of the country, ...
.
The traditional first course is
pasta
Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an Leavening agent, unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or Eggs as food, eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Pasta was originally on ...
, which includes regular pasta, pasta in broth and baked pasta, prepared in many different shapes. Almost all pasta dishes require a base of "sfoglia", a dough of eggs and flour, handmade with a rolling pin. First courses include
cappelletti,
passatelli in broth,
lasagne,
cannelloni, nidi di rondine,
ravioli,
tagliatelle,
garganelli,
maltagliati,
gnocchi and
strozzapreti, seasoned with
bolognese sauce or a
dressing of
butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...
and
sage.
Second courses include meat dishes, such as
pollo alla cacciatora, rabbit in
porchetta, meat-filled
zucchini,
sausages and mixed grilled meats, and fish dishes, like
barbecues of
atlantic mackerels,
sardines,
rotisseries of
oily fishes,
sepias with peas, fried
squid
A squid (: squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight cephalopod limb, arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also ...
s and
gianchetti (known here as "omini nudi").
Piada is a flatbread of ancient traditions, thin and crumbly, obtained from a dough of flour, water, lard and salt, and baked on a scorching "testo" of terracotta or cast iron. It is often accompanied by grilled meats or fishes, sausages, gratinée vegetables, salami, prosciutto, fresh cheeses and country herbs. Cassoni are stuffed flatbreads similar to
piada, with various fillings: country herbs, potatoes and sausages, tomato and mozzarella. Side dishes include mixed salads, gratinée vegetables, roasted potatoes, sautée bladder campion leaves, marinated
olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
s with dill, garlic and orange zest.
Traditional desserts are
ciambella, Carnevale's fried fiocchetti and castagnole,
zuppa inglese (a rich dessert with custard, savoiardi and liqueurs), caramelized
figs,
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...
es in white wine and
strawberries in red wine. Native to Rimini, ''
piada dei morti'' is a
sweet focaccia topped with
raisins,
almonds,
walnuts, and
pine nuts,
traditionally eaten in November for
All Souls' Day.
Typical local products are
squacquerone (a fresh cheese) and saba, a grape syrup used to prepare desserts. Quality
extra virgin olive oil is traditionally produced in Rimini area since ancient times. The wines include
Sangiovese,
Trebbiano, Pagadebit,
Rebola,
Cabernet Sauvignon and
Albana, a dessert wine of Roman origins.
Cityscape
Architecture
Rimini has a varied historical and artistic heritage which includes churches and monasteries, villas and palaces, fortifications, archaeological sites, streets and squares, as a result of the succession of various civilizations, dominations and historical events through its history, from the
Romans to the
Byzantines, the medieval ''
comune
A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'', the
Malatesta seignory, the
Venetian Republic and the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...
dominations.
The city has always been a key gate to the
Orient and the southern areas of the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
for the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...
, thanks to its geographical position and its harbour, and a meeting point between cultures of
Northern and
Central Italy.
Rimini has monuments of different eras, with important examples of architecture from the Roman age, such as the
Arch of Augustus, the
Tiberius Bridge, the Amphitheatre and the Domus del Chirurgo; from the Middle Ages, such as the Palazzo dell'Arengo, the church of
Sant'Agostino and
Castel Sismondo; from the Renaissance, with the
Tempio Malatestiano, masterpiece of
Leon Battista Alberti
Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, Catholic priest, priest, linguistics, linguist, philosopher, and cryptography, cryptographer; he epitomised the natu ...
.
Rimini's archaeological heritage includes some
domus of Republican and Imperial age, characterized by polychrome or black and white
mosaics, necropolis and sections of the pavement of the ancient Roman streets. The city, along with its boroughs and the seaside district of Marina Centro, also preserves buildings from the Baroque, the Neoclassical and Art Nouveau periods, with churches, palaces, hotels and mansions which reveal its role of cultural and trading centre and seaside resort.
The city centre has a Roman structure, partly modified by following medieval transformations. Urban evolution, through the renovation of the
Malatesta, earthquakes and the suppressions of monasteries, has led to a stratification of historic sites and buildings. The bombings of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
caused extensive destruction and damage, compromising the monumental heritage and the integrity of the city centre, which has been reconstructed and restored in order to valorize its historic places and buildings.
File:Rimini Piazza Cavour.JPG, Piazza Cavour
File:P71226-155652.jpg, The Tiberius Bridge
File:Rimini Piazza Tre Martiri 2.JPG, Piazza Tre Martiri
Main sights
Religious buildings
*
Tempio Malatestiano: the original
gothic-style cathedral of San Francesco was built in the 13th century, but reconstructed into a
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
masterwork by the Florentine architect
Leon Battista Alberti
Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, Catholic priest, priest, linguistics, linguist, philosopher, and cryptography, cryptographer; he epitomised the natu ...
, commissioned by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, hence the name. In the cathedral are the tombs of Sigismondo and his wife Isotta.
** ''
Bell tower of the former Cathedral of Santa Colomba.''
* ''
Sant'Agostino'': 13th-century Romanesque church.
* ''
Chiesa dei Teatini'': 17th-century Baroque-style church.
* ''
San Fortunato'': this 1418 church houses the ''Adoration of the Magi'' painting (1547) by
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari (30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance painter, architect, art historian, and biographer who is best known for his work ''Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects'', considered the ideol ...
.
* ''
San Giovanni Battista'': 12th-century church with single nave with rich stucco decoration from the 18th century.
* ''
San Giuliano Martire'': 1553–1575 church houses a painting by
Paul Veronese (1588) depicting the martyrdom of that saint. The church also houses the polyptych (1409) by
Bittino da Faenza (1357–1427) depicting episodes of this saint's life.
* ''Santa Maria dei Servi'': Church built in 1317 by the religious order of the Servants of Mary and entirely transformed in 1779 by architect
Gaetano Stegani, who was buried here. The façade was completed in 1894 by Giuseppe Urbani. The interior has a single nave, adorned with coupled columns on each side and rich Baroque plasters.
* ''
Church of Suffragio'': situated in Piazza Ferrari, was constructed by the
Jesuites in 1721, designed by
Giovan Francesco Buonamici. It features an unfinished brick façade. The interior, shaped in the form of the
Latin Cross, has a single nave flanked by chapels and adorned by plain Baroque decorations and paintings by
Guido Cagnacci.
* ''
Tempietto of Sant'Antonio.''
* ''
Madonna della Scala.''
Secular buildings
*
Castel Sismondo. This castle built by Sigismondo Pandolfo was later used as a prison.
*
Grand Hotel Rimini. Built in
Liberty style, the Italian variant of
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
,
the hotel was designed by architect and inaugurated on 1 July 1908. One of Rimini's most well-known buildings,
the luxury hotel is notable for its elegance, classic style, and association with Fellini.
A copy of the hotel was heavily featured in his film ''
Amarcord'' (1973),
and once successful, Fellini would often stay at the hotel's suite 315.
The hotel numbers 121 rooms. Its facilities include a bar, restaurant,
spa, indoor
swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming and associated activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built abo ...
,
sauna, and
steam room. It is the only hotel in Rimini with a private beach.
* (1204). This building was the seat of the judiciary and civil administrations. On the short side, in the 14th century, the podestà residence was added. It was modified at the end of the 16th century.
* Palazzo Garampi
*
Amintore Galli Theatre. Inaugurated on 16 August 1857 with the world premiere of
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...
's ''
Aroldo'',
the theatre was designed by
Luigi Poletti, and is considered one of his architectural masterpieces.
The theatre was renovated after being damaged by an earthquake in 1916, and flourished in
Fascist Italy
Fascist Italy () is a term which is used in historiography to describe the Kingdom of Italy between 1922 and 1943, when Benito Mussolini and the National Fascist Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictatorship. Th ...
following its reopening in 1923.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the theatre was severely damaged by
Allied bombardment.
Following a complete restoration in the 2010s,
the theatre reopened on 28 October 2018.
*
Villa des Vergers (in San Lorenzo in Correggiano). Dating to the 17th century,
the villa was purchased by
Adolphe Noël des Vergers in 1843,
and substantially redesigned in 1879 by
Arthur-Stanislas Diet.
Between 1938 and 1946, it was owned by
Mario Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Poggio Suasa,
who employed
Pietro Porcinai to design the villa's gardens.
The villa was used as a military headquarters by German forces in the Second World War,
and has since been owned by a series of local entrepreneurs.
Since 2021, the villa has hosted civil
wedding
A wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicity, ethnicities, Race (human categorization), races, religions, Religious denomination, denominations, Cou ...
ceremonies. It is also used for corporate events.
Monuments
*
Arch of Augustus. Built in 27 BC in honour of
Augustus
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
, the first
Roman emperor, the arch and city gate marks the northern end of the
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia () was an ancient Roman roads, Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to ''Ariminum'' (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had f ...
.
Under
Fascist Italy
Fascist Italy () is a term which is used in historiography to describe the Kingdom of Italy between 1922 and 1943, when Benito Mussolini and the National Fascist Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictatorship. Th ...
, the adjoining city walls and surrounding buildings were demolished, leaving the Arch of Augustus to stand as an isolated monument.
Along with the
Bridge of Tiberius, it is one of Rimini's most-recognised symbols, and is represented on the city's
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
. It is the oldest preserved arch in Italy.
*
Ponte di Tiberio. Constructed between 14 and 21 AD under the reigns of emperors Augustus and
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...
, the bridge over the
Marecchia was built to showcase the impressiveness of Roman
monumental infrastructure,
and it is the oldest surviving
Roman bridge to be decorated with
Greek orders.
Andrea Palladio considered the Ponte di Tiberio "the most beautiful and the most worthy of consideration" of all the bridges he surveyed.
It has been depicted by notable artists including
Giovanni Bellini,
Giovan Battista Piranesi,
and
Richard Wilson.
*
Monumental Cemetery of Rimini. Consecrated in 1813,
the Monumental Cemetery of Rimini is the final resting place of several prominent figures associated with Rimini, including
Amintore Galli,
Renzo Pasolini, and
Federico Fellini.
*
Porta Montanara. Built after
Sulla's civil war in the first century BC,
the original construction of the ancient Roman city gate comprised two arches.
The north-facing arch was walled as early as the first or second century AD, and incorporated into a medieval cellar.
It was uncovered by
Allied aerial bombardment during the Second World War.
After
Rimini's liberation, the south-facing arch was destroyed by the occupying Allied forces to facilitate the passage of tanks through the city.
In 1949, the remaining arch was deconstructed and reassembled in the courtyard of the
Tempio Malatestiano.
Porta Montanara was restored near its original location in 2004,
at the southern end of Rimini's , on the road to the valley of the
Marecchia.
* . The fountain is one of the symbols of Rimini as a seaside resort, built in 1928 by riminese sculptor Filogenio Fabbri. Demolished in 1954, was accurately reconstructed in 1983, recomposing the original parts.
The fountain features a large circular basin, overlooked by four marine horses which sustain the superior basin.
* Fontana della Pigna
* Monument to Pope
Paul V
Pope Paul V (; ) (17 September 1552 – 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death, in January 1621. In 1611, he honored Galileo Galilei as a mem ...
* Torre dell'Orologio. The clocktower was built in 1547 in Piazza Tre Martiri, replacing the ancient "beccherie" (public butcher's), and reconstructed in 1759 by Giovan Francesco Buonamici. In 1875, the top of the tower was ruined due to an
earthquake
An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...
, and it was restored in 1933. The
clock
A clock or chronometer is a device that measures and displays time. The clock is one of the oldest Invention, human inventions, meeting the need to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the lunar month, a ...
, which dates back to 1562, overlooks a perpetual calendar assembled in 1750, decorated by
terracotta panels depicting zodiacal signs, months and lunar phases. The central, blind arch of the porch houses the memorial of the victims of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Attractions
*
Italia in Miniatura (in
Viserba). Opened on 4 July 1970,
Italia in Miniatura is Italy's fourth-oldest
theme park,
and attracts 500,000 visitors per year. The
miniature park features 273
polyurethane
Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) is a class of polymers composed of organic chemistry, organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethane term ...
models over an outdoor area of .
As well as Italian monuments, the models include European landmarks and geographic features such as mountains and volcanoes. A 1:5 reproduction of 119 buildings in
Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
can be traversed with a
gondola ride along the
Grand Canal.
Other attractions include a
driving school, a
suspended monorail, interactive spaces dedicated to
science education
Science education is the teaching and learning of science to school children, college students, or adults within the general public. The field of science education includes work in science content, science process (the scientific method), some ...
,
a
parrot
Parrots (Psittaciformes), also known as psittacines (), are birds with a strong curved beak, upright stance, and clawed feet. They are classified in four families that contain roughly 410 species in 101 genus (biology), genera, found mostly in ...
aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds, although bats may also be considered for display. Unlike birdcages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where Bird flight, they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flig ...
,
hot air balloons, a
log flume, and a
Pinocchio
Pinocchio ( , ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the children's novel, ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (1883) by Italian writer Carlo Collodi of Florence, Tuscany. Pinocchio was carved by a poor man named Geppetto in a Tuscan vil ...
-themed
train ride
''Train Ride'' is a feature thriller film written and directed by Rel Dowdell and Executive Produced by Rich Murray. It was released in 2005 by Murray's RuffNation Films via Sony Entertainment. It revolves around the consequences of an incident ...
.
Archaeological sites
* Roman
amphitheater (2nd century). The amphitheater was erected alongside the ancient coast line, and had two orders of porticoes with 60 arcades. It had elliptical shape, with axes of . The arena measured , not much smaller than the greatest Roman amphitheatres: the edifice could house up to 15,000 spectators.
*
Ponte di San Vito (in
San Vito). Dating to the reign of
emperor
The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
Augustus
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
,
only a 14th-century
arch
An arch is a curved vertical structure spanning an open space underneath it. Arches may support the load above them, or they may perform a purely decorative role. As a decorative element, the arch dates back to the 4th millennium BC, but stru ...
above the original Augustan stones remains of the Augustan bridge,
which was likely
monumental, with a total length of approximately , and numbering eight or more arches.
In recent centuries, Riminese historians have claimed the bridge as the place where
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
crossed the Rubicon.
In October 2022, Rimini's municipal government incorporated the arch into a public park.
Parks and recreation
Rimini has an extensive parks system, with 1.3 million square metres of parks and gardens inside the urban area and a total of 2.8 million square metres of green areas inside the city limits, including river parks, sport facilities and natural areas.
The city's park system includes a series of large urban parks, created along the former
Marecchia and
Ausa riverbeds, neighbourhood parks and gardens and tree-lined boulevards.
The main parks of the city are
XXV Aprile Park, Giovanni Paolo II Park, Alcide Cervi Park, Fabbri Park, Ghirlandetta Park, Federico Fellini Park, Pertini Park in Marebello and Briolini Park in San Giuliano Mare. Every Saturday, XXV Aprile Park hosts one of the Italy's thirteen (as of 2022)
parkruns.
In Rimini there are about 42,000 public trees, belonging to 190 different species, predominantly
lime,
planes,
maples,
poplars,
pines
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae.
''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as ...
and
oaks. 23 of these are old trees, protected as "monumental trees" for their age and their naturalistic value, such as the
London plane
The London plane, or sometimes hybrid plane, ''Platanus'' × ''hispanica'', is a tree in the genus ''Platanus''. It is often known by the Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Platanus'' × ''acerifolia'', a later name. It is a Hybrid (biology ...
of piazza Malatesta, the
downy oak of Giovanni Paolo II Park, the
cypresses of Sant'Agostino, the
elm of Viale Vespucci and the
lime trees of San Fortunato.
The city's cycling network is articulated inside the main parks and boulevards, linking the most important monuments, tourist attractions, beaches, meeting places, offering various opportunities to different use categories, including urban travels, mountain bike and cyclotourism.
The urban cycling network is connected, through XXV Aprile Park, to the cycle route which links Rimini and Saiano, along the river
Marecchia.
File:Rimini Parco XXV Aprile.JPG, XXV Aprile Park
File:Rimini Parco Giovanni Paolo II.JPG, Giovanni Paolo II Park
File:Rimini Parco Cervi.JPG, Alcide Cervi Park
Education
Rimini is the seat of a campus of
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...
, attended by 5,800 students, which include bachelors and masters belonging to eight Faculties: Economics, Statistical Sciences, Pharmacy, Literature and Philosophy, Industrial Chemistry, Sport Sciences, Medicine and Surgery.
The city has public schools of all levels, including 13 nurseries, 12 kindergartens, 39 primary schools, 5 secondary schools and 11 high schools (4 Lyceums, 3 Technical Institutes, 3 Professional Institutes and an Institute of Musical Studies). The city's oldest
lyceum, the
Classical Lyceum "Giulio Cesare", founded in 1800, was attended by
Amintore Galli,
Giovanni Pascoli, and
Federico Fellini.
Transport
Rimini is an important road and railway junction due to its geographic position at the southern tip of the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...
, where Adriatic coastal routes meet those extending northwest along the plains.
Roads
Rimini is the terminus of three
ancient Roman
In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...
roads: the
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia () was an ancient Roman roads, Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to ''Ariminum'' (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had f ...
, which runs southeast along the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
, turning at (
Fano
Fano () is a city and ''comune'' of the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region of Italy. It is a beach resort southeast of Pesaro, located where the ''Via Flaminia'' reaches the Adriatic Sea. It is the third city in the region by pop ...
) to finish in (
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
); the
Via Aemilia, which runs northwest to reach (
Piacenza
Piacenza (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Piacenza, eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more ...
); and the
Via Popilia, which runs north along the Adriatic Sea to reach (
Adria
Adria is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po River, Po. The remains of the Etruria, Etruscan city of Atria or Hatria are to be found below ...
), where it joined the
Via Annia. Modern
state roads replicate these roads:
* The state road runs from Rimini to
San Donato Milanese, replicating the Via Aemilia.
* The state road runs along the Adriatic Sea from
Padua
Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
to
Otranto
Otranto (, , ; ; ; ; ) is a coastal town, port and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").
...
, replicating the Via Popilia and the coastal section of the Via Flaminia. Bulging inland, the SS16 constitutes Rimini's bypass road.
Provincial roads connect Rimini to towns in its hinterland, including
Coriano and
Montescudo. Two other state roads provide connections to Rimini's hinterland:
* The
SS72 state road connects Rimini to the border with the
Republic of San Marino at
Dogana, continuing in Sammarinese territory as the
San Marino Highway up to
Borgo Maggiore, from which the
San Marino cablecar system connects with the
City of San Marino
The City of San Marino (), also known simply as San Marino and locally as Città, is the capital city of the Republic of San Marino and one of its nine . It has a population of 4,061. It is on the western slopes of San Marino's highest point, ...
.
* The state road connects Rimini to
Sansepolcro, in
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
, through the valley of the
Marecchia.
The tolled
A14 Adriatic motorway runs from
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
to
Taranto through Rimini, relieving the SS9 and SS16. Rimini has two exits on the A14: Rimini North, in the locality of
San Vito, and Rimini Sud, nearer the city centre, close to where the SS72 meets the SS16.
Both exits opened on 13 August 1966 as part of the
Cesena–Rimini section. Rimini's municipal government supports a new A14 exit onto the SS9 near Santa Giustina to relieve arterial roads near
Rimini Fiera; the junction is included in the regional mobility development plan.
Railway
Rimini railway station is at the midpoint of the
Bologna–Ancona railway, and the terminus of the . Regional and national trains of all categories call at the station.
Rimini was formerly the terminus of two disused lines:
* Between 1916 and 1960, the
Rimini–Novafeltria railway ran between , opposite the main railway station, and
Novafeltria along the
Marecchia valley, notably serving
Verucchio and
Talamello.
The line included several stops in Rimini's territory.
* Between 1932 and 1944, the
Rimini–San Marino railway connected Rimini to the
City of San Marino
The City of San Marino (), also known simply as San Marino and locally as Città, is the capital city of the Republic of San Marino and one of its nine . It has a population of 4,061. It is on the western slopes of San Marino's highest point, ...
through the Sammarinese towns of
Dogana,
Serravalle,
Domagnano, and
Borgo Maggiore. The line included a station and depot on Via Giovanni Pascoli, known as Rimini Marina. Both the Sammarinese and Italian governments have expressed interest in reopening the line.
Rimini has four minor railway stations that are served by regional trains: Torre Pedrera and Viserba on the Ferrara–Rimini railway; and
Rimini Fiera and
Rimini Miramare on the Bologna–Ancona railway.
Aviation

The city is served by
Rimini Fellini Airport, in the southern suburb of
Miramare. The airport is a crucial nexus in the local economy, particularly for tourists visiting the . It recorded 215,767 passengers in 2022, rendering it the second-busiest airport in Emilia-Romagna. The airport is mainly served by
low-cost carriers and
charter traffic.
The airport was built in 1929 as an
aerodrome
An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes inc ...
, on the site of the former of the army's Aeronautical Service. It ranked among Italy's busiest airports during the 1960s, supported by international tourists visiting Rimini's beaches. Its passenger use declined with the opening of the
A14 tolled highway in 1966. Since the end of the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, Fellini Airport has been specially popular among tourists from the countries of the former
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. Russian and Ukrainian passengers together represented 61% of Fellini Airport's passengers before the
2022 invasion, which was projected to lose the airport 300,000 passengers annually. Alongside its civilian history, the airport has a notable military history: it was the home of the of the
Italian Air Force between 1956 and 2010,
and during the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, it was identified by the
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...
as a strategic target in the event of an all-out war,
housing several thousand Italian and
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
soldiers and thirty
B61 nuclear bombs. Helicopters belonging to the
7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega" remain at the airport.
After Fellini Airport, the closest major airports are
Luigi Ridolfi Airport in
Forlì,
Raffaello Sanzio Airport in
Ancona
Ancona (, also ; ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region of central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona, homonymous province and of the region. The city is located northeast of Ro ...
, and
Guglielmo Marconi Airport in
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
. A coach service operated by Shuttle Italy Airport connects Rimini with Bologna Airport.
Between 1959 and 1969, a
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
service flew between Rimini's port and a
heliport next to
Borgo Maggiore's cablecar terminus in San Marino.
Operated by Compagnia Italiana Elicotteri, the service ran several times per day,
using a fleet of four-seater
Bell 47J Rangers and a three-seater
Agusta-Bell AB-47G,
which were serviced at Rimini's airport.
In 1964, the line was extended to
San Leo.
Tickets would cost up to 12,500 lire,
including the cablecar to the City of San Marino and a shuttle to the
Leonine fortress. The service would take fifteen minutes to reach Borgo Maggiore and twenty-five minutes to reach San Leo.
Buses and coaches
Rimini and Riccione's combined
bus network, operated by Start Romagna SpA, includes twenty-two suburban lines and twenty-six interurban lines. As well as serving the city's suburbs, the lines connect Rimini to towns and villages in the hinterland and to neighbouring along the Adriatic coast.
Rimini's trolleybus system comprises two trolleybus lines that connect the city centres of Rimini and Riccione; both are run by Start Romagna SpA.
Route 11 runs from Rimini's railway station to Riccione Terme along the principal seafront avenue, serving the touristic seafront.
The line originated as a horse-drawn omibus service in 1844,
running between Rimini and the present-day Parco Federico Fellini.
It was converted to a
horse-drawn tram in 1877,
and electrified in 1921.
Between 1921 and 1927, it was progressively extended southwards to reach Riccione,
and converted to a trolleybus line in 1939.
The newer trolleybus route,
Metromare, launched on 23 November 2019, provisionally using motorbuses because of a delay in the delivery of the trolleybus fleet.
[''Trolleybus Magazine'' No. 350 (March–April 2020), pp. 68, 70.] The
bus rapid transit line runs on a segregated track adjacent to the Bologna-Ancona railway between the stations of Rimini and Riccione. Intermediate stops serve the Fiabilandia amusement park in Rivazzurra, Miramare's railway station, and Federico Fellini International Airport.
[''Trolleybus Magazine'' No. 368 (March–April 2023), pp. 74, 77. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ] The trolleybuses entered service on the line on 28 October 2021.
[''Trolleybus Magazine'' No. 361 (January–February 2022), p. 34.] A northern extension to Rimini Fiera has been approved, with construction starting in summer 2024.
Rimini is served by six
FlixBus stops; its principal stop, on Via Annabile Fada, is served by international routes. Local companies, including Bonelli Bus, Autolinee Benedettini, and Adriabus, provide regular and seasonal coach services to other Italian cities, San Marino, and regional historic sites such as
Urbino
Urbino ( , ; Romagnol: ''Urbìn'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italy, Italian region of Marche, southwest of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially und ...
and
Gradara.
Utilities
HERA Group (), a
multi-utility company based in
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
, is responsible for the
province of Rimini's gas, water, energy, and
waste management.
Rimini has three ecological stations () for
waste sorting: Rimini Viserba, between the coastline and
Italia in Miniatura; Rimini Via Nataloni, west of the city centre; and Rimini Via Macanno, south of Le Befane shopping centre.
Rimini is served by the
wastewater treatment plant of Rimini-Santa Giustina, which serves eleven municipalities and the
Republic of San Marino. The plant has a water flow rate of , and capable of treating the equivalent of 560,000 inhabitants in the summer and 370,000 inhabitants the winter. The purification plant was inaugurated on 31 May 1972,
and doubled in capacity between 2013 and 2015,
to become Europe's largest purifier.
In 2013, the municipal government, HERA, and Romagna Acque instituted an eleven-year, 154-million-euro Optimised Bathing Protection Plan (). The plan sought to reduce sewage discharges into the sea after rainfall or thunderstorms, which would lead to temporary bathing bans along Rimini's coastline, hurting its tourist economy. A Rainwater harvesting, rainwater collection tank, with a capacity, and a lamination tank, with a capacity, was installed under Piazzale Kennedy. As part of the plan, Rimini's Sewerage, sewage system was remodelled between 2014 and 2020.
Sports
The main football team of the city is Rimini Calcio. It played for nine years (between 1976 and 2009) in Serie B, the second-highest division in the Italian football league system. Its better positioning was the fifth place of the 2006–07 Serie B, 2006–07 season (when Rimini was also undefeated in both games against Juventus FC, Juventus).
Rimini has also a notable basketball team, the Basket Rimini Crabs, which played for several years in Serie A and two times in the European FIBA Korać Cup, Korać Cup. About baseball, Rimini Baseball Club won 12 national championships and it was also European champion three times.
Every Easter weekend, Rimini hosts Paganello, a beach ultimate tournament.
First held in 1991, the event takes place over a stretch of beach, between beaches 39 and 47.
In 2023, the competition included 136 teams and 1,600 athletes. The tournament runs between Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday,
and is accompanied by cultural shows along Rimini's beach. There are two competitions: a Frisbee tournament, and the Freestyle, which is more acrobatic.
Notable people

* Ancient Bards (founded 2006), symphonic metal band
* Enea Bastianini (born 1997), motorcycle racer
* Marco Battagli (died 1370/76), historian
*
Samuele Bersani (born 1970), singer-songwriter
* Marco Bezzecchi (born 1998), motorcycle racer
* Mario Bianchelli (1660–1730), composer and guitar virtuoso
* Pier Paolo Bianchi (born 1952), Grand Prix motorcycle road racer
* Matteo Brighi (born 1981), football player
* Marco Carnesecchi (born 2000), professional association football, footballer who plays as a goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for club Atalanta BC, Atalanta.
* Claudio Maria Celli (born 1941), titular archbishop
* Gregorio Celli (1225–1343), Roman Catholic priest, professed member of the Order of Saint Augustine, beatified by Pope Clement XIV on 6 September 1769
* Roberto Paci Dalò (born 1962), composer, director and visual artist
* Patrizia Deitos (born 1975), supermodel and singer
* Victoria de Stefano (1940–2023), novelist, essayist, philosopher, and educator
* Mattia Drudi (born 1998), racing driver
*
Federico Fellini (1920–1993), film director
*
Amintore Galli (1845–1919), music publisher, Music school, academic, and composer, studied, lived in retirement, and died in Rimini
* Alberto Marvelli (1918–1946), engineer, president of Azione Cattolica
* Carlotta Montanari (born 1981), actress and former TV host
* Carlton Myers (born 1971), basketball player
* Aldo Oviglio (1873–1942), first Minister of Justice (Italy), Minister of Justice of the Mussolini government, was born and raised in Rimini
* Elio Pagliarani (1927–2012), poet and literary critic
*
Renzo Pasolini (1938–1973), Grand Prix motorcycle road racer
* Alessandra Perilli (born 1988), shooter and first Olympic medalist for San Marino
* Hugo Pratt (1927–1995), comic book creator
*
Giuliano da Rimini (), painter
* Michael Ruben Rinaldi (born 1995), motorcycle racer
* Carla Ronci (1936–1970), The Venerable, Venerable of the Catholic Church, was born, lived, and died in Rimini
* Delio Rossi (born 1960), football manager
* Loris Stecca (born 1960), former world champion boxer
* Siegfried Stohr (born 1952), racing driver
* Massimo Tamburini (1943–2014), motorcycle designer
* Giovanni Urbinati (born 1946), ceramist and sculptor
* Roberto Valturio (1405–1475), engineer and writer
* Renato Zangheri (1925–2015), Chamber of Deputies (Italy), deputy and Mayor of Bologna, was born and raised in Rimini
International relations
Twin towns — sister cities

Rimini is Sister city, twinned with:
* Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Fort Lauderdale, U.S.
* Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
* Seraing, Belgium
* Sochi, Russia
* Yangzhou, China
* Ziguinchor, Senegal
Its twinning with Saint-Maur-des-Fossés was inaugurated on 5 June 1972, and its twinning with Ziguinchor on 8 June 1974.
See also
* – an annual public bonfire lit on the evening of 18 March, the vigil of Saint Joseph's Day, especially in Rimini
Bibliography
*
References
Sources and external links
Province of RiminiRimini Comune (Town Council)Official Tourist Information site of Rimini (Town Council)
Rimini Travel Guide in Dutch
{{Catholic Encyclopedia, wstitle=Diocese of Rimini
Rimini,
260s BC establishments
268 BC
Populated places established in the 3rd century BC
3rd-century BC establishments in Italy
Cities and towns in Emilia-Romagna
Duchy of the Pentapolis
Papal States
Roman amphitheatres in Italy
Roman sites of Emilia-Romagna
Seaside resorts in Italy