Rimini is a city of Roman origin and not just any city at that, but one of the most important centres in the ancient Roman Empire. The official date of its foundation is the year 268 B.C.
Among the great works carried out by order of the Roman Senate we have two consular Roman roads; the Flaminia and the Emilia.
The first of these links Rome to Rimini, terminating at the Arch of Augustus
TIBERIUS BRIDGE
The Bridge of Tiberius is a testament to the engineering know-how of the ancient Romans. Built 2000 years ago it has remained standing, despite the rigours of war and bombing. The secret is that its pillars rest on a single foundation.
The bridge is a piece of the ancient Roman past and its five arches in white Istrian stone have been a part of the city scene since 14 A.D. (during the reign of Augustus). It was completed in 21 A.D. during the reign of Tiberius to mark (as it still does) the beginning of the Via Emilia.
PIAZZA TRE MARTIRI
The Piazza marks the position of the ancient Roman forum at the intersection of the Decumanus Maxima and the Cardo Romano. The forum was the centre of civic life for the Latin-speaking citizens of Rimini. At that time the square was much larger. On one side there is a statue of Julius Caesar whilst at the entrance to Via IV Novembre there is a stone pillar in memory of the speech Caesar made to his troops after they crossed the River Rubicon.
THE CITY MUSEUM
The City Museum is hosted in part of an eighteenth century Jesuit College and it records Rimini’s past existence.
Here you can admire the exceptional array of surgical implements and the splendid glass picture from the Surgeon’s “Domus” (House).
Then you can continue on to see exhibits from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. These include paintings by masters of the fourteenth century Rimini school, including the famous Pietà by Bellini depicting the lifeless figure of Jesus supported by four cherubs. There are also works by Agostino di Duccio, il Ghirlandaio, Cagnacci and il Guercino. The creativity of the 1900s is the dominant theme in the area dedicated to René Gruau, a world-famous graphic artist and in the room of the “Libro dei Sogni” (Book of Dreams) of Federico Fellini.
THE SURGEON’S HOUSE (DOMUS DEL CHIRURGO)
The Surgeon’s House (II century A.D.) is an exceptional site, it contains a doctor’s surgery, perfectly preserved. In fact, after a barbarian attack on the city, there was a fire which caused the walls of the room to fold inwards. Every detail of the scene had been preserved, above all, there is the most complete collection of surgical instruments including those used for amputation and dental fillings ever found.
THE ARCH OF AUGUSTUS
Of all the surviving ancient Roman triumphal arches it is the oldest, dating from 27 B.C. It is 17 metres high, built in Istrian stone and erected here in Rimini by express.
The divinities represented on the oval ornaments are Jupiter and Apollo facing away from the city and Neptune and Rome facing inwards. They represent the greatness of Rome and Augustus’s power.
