Sprawling along the Adriatic Sea, Rimini is situated at a strategically-important north-south passage along the coast at the southern tip of the Po Valley. It is one of the most notable seaside resorts in Europe, 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.
As of 2025, Rimin has 150,630, with 340,665 living in the eponymous province, making it the twenty-eighth largest city in Italy.<ref name="population2" />
File:Rimini201.jpgRimini's ancient harbour, portrayed in the mosaic of the boats from the domus of Palazzo Diotallevi
The area was inhabited by Etruscans<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> until the arrival of the Celts, 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 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. 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, 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 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 that held the important Council of Ariminum in the city in 359.
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.
Ferrantino, son of Malatesta II (1335), was opposed by his cousin Ramberto and by Cardinal Bertrand du Pouget (1331), legate of Pope John XXII. Malatesta II was also lord of Pesaro. He was succeeded by Malatesta Ungaro (1373) and Galeotto I Malatesta, uncle of the former (1385), lord also of Fano (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, 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. 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 and incorporated into the Papal States.
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.
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.
The troops of Joachim Murat, King of Naples, marched through Rimini on 30 March 1815.<ref name="Ponte-2015">Template:Cite web</ref> In a last attempt to gain allies before his defeat in the Neapolitan War,<ref name="Sacco-2020">Template:Cite web</ref> Murat published the Rimini Proclamation, one of the earliest calls for Italian unification.<ref name="Ponte-2015" /><ref name="Sacco-2020" /> 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 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, 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 and Barletta.Template:Cn 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 4,174 people were displaced between Rimini and Riccione.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 19 October 1922, Riccione was separated from Rimini to form a separate Template:Lang.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In World War II, Rimini suffered sustained Alliedaerial bombardment from November 1943 until its liberation on 21 September 1944.<ref name="Gambetti-2023a">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Susini-2016">Template:Cite journal</ref> 82% of Rimini's buildings were destroyed, the highest figure among Italian cities with over 50,000 inhabitants.<ref name="Gambetti-2023a" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Around 55,000 refugees fled to the north, to the hinterland, and to San Marino,<ref name="Susini-2016" /><ref name="Citta-2024">Template:Cite web</ref> where they sheltered in the country's railway tunnels.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> As the Allied frontline approached the city, naval bombardment followed,<ref name="Susini-2016" /> and remaining citizens hid in makeshift shelters or in caves by the Covignano hill.<ref name="Susini-2016" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="Citta-2024" /> The Battle of Rimini was a major engagement in the Gothic Line.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> 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)".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Within 37 days of the battle, over 10,000 soldiers had died between the Allied and Axis forces.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For its role in liberating Rimini, the 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade was awarded the honorific title "Rimini Brigade".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 1,939 Allied soldiers,<ref name="Terre di Coriano-2024">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="War Graves-2024">Template:Cite web</ref> of which 1,413 are British,<ref name="Terre di Coriano-2024" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> were buried in the Coriano Ridge War Cemetery in Coriano.<ref name="Terre di Coriano-2024" /><ref name="War Graves-2024" /> 114 Greek soldiers were buried in a cemetery in Riccione's Fontanelle area,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and an Indian cemetery with 618 burials is located on the San Marino Highway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Following Rimini's liberation, reconstruction work began, culminating in huge development of the tourist industry in the city.
Rimini's natural geography provides a strategically-important passage along the Adriatic Sea at the boundary between northern Italy, characterised by the plains of the Po Valley, 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,<ref>Emilia-Romagna, Milano, Touring Club Italiano, 1999, p. 27</ref><ref>Pietro Zangheri, Repertorio sistematico e topografico della flora e fauna vivente e fossile della Romagna, Tomo V, Museo civico di Storia Naturale di Verona, Verona, 1966–1970, p. 2052.</ref> providing an environment of notable naturalistic value.
Rimini's coastal strip, made of recent marine deposits, is edged by a fine sandy beach, Template:Convert long and up to Template:Convert 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 Template:Convert from the coast.<ref>PSC Comune di Rimini, Quadro Conoscitivo, Sistema Ambientale. Geologia, p. 15.</ref>
Rimini's ancient coastline was situated much farther inland: it gradually shifted outward over centuries, with new land developed throughout the 20th century.<ref name="coastevolution">Template:Cite book</ref>
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 Template:Interlanguage link state road along cemented banks, and empty into the Marecchia.<ref name="Rimini-2022">Template:Cite web</ref> The diversion was completed in 1972, with the Ausa's former route reduced to a sewage outlet,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and redeveloped into a series of public parks.<ref name="Rimini-2022" />
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.<ref>L'Emilia-Romagna paese per paese, Firenze, Bonechi, 1984, p. 250.</ref>
Rimini's southern boundary with the municipality of Riccione is marked by the Rio dell'Asse, a minor stream.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
To its southwest, Rimini is surrounded by several rolling hills: Covignano (Template:Convert altitude), Vergiano (Template:Convert altitude), San Martino Monte l'Abbate (Template:Convert altitude) and San Lorenzo in Correggiano (Template:Convert altitude). The hills are widely cultivated, with vineyards, olive groves and orchards, and historic villas.
Rimini's city centre, bounded by the Malatestacity 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 orchards and convents. 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.<ref name="Pier Giorgio Pasini 1982, p. 215">Giorgio Conti and Pier Giorgio Pasini, Rimini Città come Storia, Rimini, Giusti, 1982, p. 215.</ref> 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:<ref name="Pier Giorgio Pasini 1982, p. 251">Giorgio Conti and Pier Giorgio Pasini, Rimini Città come Storia, Rimini, Giusti, 1982, p. 251.</ref>
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, 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 and commerce of cows.
Borgo Marina, on the right bank of the Marecchia, was heavily transformed by Fascist demolitions and World War II 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,<ref name="Pier Giorgio Pasini 1982, p. 251" /> relocating small industries and manufactures, including a brick factory and a phosphorus matches factory.
Rimini's municipality includes the coastal districts of Template:Interlanguage link, 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.
Precipitations are equally distributed during the year, with a peak in October and minimums in January and July.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:As of, 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (12.5% of the total), mainly from Eastern Europe, East Asia and North Africa. 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).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other notable foreign groups in the city are Senegalese, Moroccans, Macedonians, Tunisians, Russians, Bangladeshis and Peruvians.
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.
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' Legation of Romagna, headquartered in Ravenna. 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 as its capital. Finally, on 27 December 1859, with Romagna's annexation into the Kingdom of Italy, Rimini became part of the Province of Forlì.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rimini is a major international tourist destination and seaside resort, among the most well known in Europe and the Mediterranean basin,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.Template:Citation needed In 2017, the city welcomed over 57 million tourists.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rimini's origins as a seaside resort date to the foundation of the first bathing establishment, the oldest on the Adriatic Sea, in 1843.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Ferruccio Farina, L'estate della grafica. Manifesti e pubblicità della Riviera di Romagna 1893–1943, Rimini, Silvana Editoriale, Cinisello Balsamo, 1988, pp. 58-60.</ref>
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.<ref>Giorgio Conti, Pier Giorgio Pasini, Rimini Città come Storia 2, Giusti, Rimini, 2000, p. 9.</ref>
Rimini concentrates about a quarter of Emilia-Romagna's hotels, with over 1,000 hotels, more than 220 of which are open all year round,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Quadro Conoscitivo PSC, Sistema economico e sociale, p. 101</ref>
The Fiera's previous site, on Via Monte Titano, was redeveloped in 2011 into Rimini Palacongressi, a smaller conference space.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, the Fiera and Palacongressi were estimated to be worth about a tenth of the province of Rimini's gross domestic product.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The city's other economic sectors, such as services, commerce, construction industry, have been influenced by the development of tourism. Commerce 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The City Museum (Template:Lang), 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.<ref>Anna Graziosi Ripa, Per la storia del Museo Archeologico riminese, in: Analisi di Rimini Antica, Rimini, Comune di Rimini, 1980, p. 317.</ref> The Archaeology Gallery was conceived as a collection of Etruscan civilization 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.<ref>Anna Graziosi Ripa, Per la storia del Museo Archeologico riminese, in: Analisi di Rimini Antica, Rimini, Comune di Rimini, 1980, p. 158.</ref> In 1964, the collections moved to Palazzo Visconti and finally, from 1990, to the Template:Lang, a large Jesuit 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 Museum of Glances (Template:Lang) 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 (Template:Lang), and hosted in the Template:Interlanguage link.<ref name="Zaghini-2019" /><ref name="Comune-2023a">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2005, it was rededicated as one of Italy's main museums on the cultures of Africa, Oceania, and the pre-Columbian Americas. 600 works are exhibited in the museum, whose collections number over 7,000 objects.<ref name="Comune-2023a" />
The Maritime and Small Fishing Museum (Template:Lang), in Viserbella, exhibits Rimini's nautical history through a collection of boats, fishing tools, photographs and a large seashells collection, with pieces from all over the Mediterranean Sea.<ref>Pier Giorgio Pasini, Musei nella Provincia di Rimini, Rimini, Provincia di Rimini, 2006, p. 53.</ref>
There are two private museums outside the city centre: the Aviation Museum (Template:Lang) in Sant'Aquilina, close to the Sammarinese border, and the Motorcycling National Museum (Template:Lang) in Casalecchio.
Other libraries in Rimini include a library of the University of Bologna, 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The first stable theatre in Rimini is documented since 1681, when the city council decided on the transformation of the Template:Interlanguage link's main hall into a large theatre hall,<ref name="Ceroni-2020">Template:Cite web</ref> hosting shows of amateur dramatics companies and the young Carlo Goldoni, who was studying philosophy in Rimini at that time.<ref name="Ceroni-2020" /> 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.<ref name="Rimini-2024a" /><ref name="cittadarte-2024" /><ref name="Teatro-2024" /> On 16 August 1857, the theatre hosted the world premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's Aroldo,<ref name="Rimini-2024a" /><ref name="riminiturismo-2023" /> which was a major event in the city, attracting many foreign visitors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the Second World War, the theatre was severely damaged by Allied bombardment.<ref name="Rimini-2024a" /><ref name="cittadarte-2024" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following a complete restoration in the 2010s,<ref name="riminiturismo-2023" /><ref name="AV Tech-2019" /> the theatre reopened on 28 October 2018.<ref name="cittadarte-2024" /><ref name="riminiturismo-2023" />
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: 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 and "Non pensarci" by Gianni Zanasi.
The earliest musician from Rimini was Saint Arduino (10th century);<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city also gave birth to the musician Benedetto Neri, professor at the Academy of Music in Milan.Template:Citation needed On 16 August 1857, Rimini's New Municipal Theatre hosted the world premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's Aroldo.<ref name="Rimini-2024a" /><ref name="riminiturismo-2023" />
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.
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.
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 olives with dill, garlic and orange zest.
Rimini has a varied historical and artistic heritage which includes churches and monasteries, villas and palaces, fortifications, archaeological sites, streets and squares,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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, the Malatesta seignory, the Venetian Republic and the Papal States dominations.
The city has always been a key gate to the Orient and the southern areas of the Mediterranean for the Po Valley, thanks to its geographical position and its harbour, and a meeting point between cultures of Northern and Central Italy.
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 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.
Tempio Malatestiano: the original gothic-style cathedral of San Francesco was built in the 13th century, but reconstructed into a Renaissance masterwork by the Florentine architect Leon Battista Alberti, 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.
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.
Grand Hotel Rimini. Built in Liberty style, the Italian variant of Art Nouveau,<ref name="Bergamo-2012">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Annovazzi Lodi-2019">Template:Cite web</ref> the hotel was designed by architect Template:Interlanguage link and inaugurated on 1 July 1908.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One of Rimini's most well-known buildings,<ref name="Bergamo-2012" /> the luxury hotel is notable for its elegance, classic style, and association with Fellini.<ref name="Grant-2023">Template:Cite news</ref> A copy of the hotel was heavily featured in his film Amarcord (1973),<ref name="Annovazzi Lodi-2019" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and once successful, Fellini would often stay at the hotel's suite 315.<ref name="Bergamo-2012" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The hotel numbers 121 rooms. Its facilities include a bar, restaurant, spa, indoor swimming pool, sauna, and steam room.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It is the only hotel in Rimini with a private beach.<ref name="Grant-2023" />
Amintore Galli Theatre. Inaugurated on 16 August 1857 with the world premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's Aroldo,<ref name="Rimini-2024a">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="riminiturismo-2023">Template:Cite web</ref> the theatre was designed by Luigi Poletti, and is considered one of his architectural masterpieces.<ref name="Rimini-2024a" /><ref name="cittadarte-2024">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Teatro-2024">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="riminiturismo-2023" /> The theatre was renovated after being damaged by an earthquake in 1916, and flourished in Fascist Italy following its reopening in 1923.<ref name="cittadarte-2024" /><ref name="Teatro-2024" /> During the Second World War, the theatre was severely damaged by Allied bombardment.<ref name="Rimini-2024a" /><ref name="cittadarte-2024" /><ref name="riminiturismo-2023" /><ref name="AV Tech-2019">Template:Cite web</ref> Following a complete restoration in the 2010s,<ref name="riminiturismo-2023" /><ref name="AV Tech-2019" /> the theatre reopened on 28 October 2018.<ref name="cittadarte-2024" /><ref name="riminiturismo-2023" />
Villa des Vergers (in San Lorenzo in Correggiano). Dating to the 17th century,<ref name="Corriere Romagna-2016">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Villa des Vergers-2024">Template:Cite web</ref> the villa was purchased by Adolphe Noël des Vergers in 1843,<ref name="Corriere Romagna-2016" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and substantially redesigned in 1879 by Arthur-Stanislas Diet.<ref name="Villa des Vergers-2024" /> Between 1938 and 1946, it was owned by Mario Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Poggio Suasa,<ref name="Corriere Romagna-2016" /> who employed Pietro Porcinai to design the villa's gardens.<ref name="Corriere Romagna-2016" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The villa was used as a military headquarters by German forces in the Second World War,<ref name="Villa des Vergers-2024" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and has since been owned by a series of local entrepreneurs.<ref name="Villa des Vergers-2024" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since 2021, the villa has hosted civil wedding ceremonies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is also used for corporate events.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Porta Montanara di Rimini.jpgPorta Montanara, September 2018Porta Montanara. Built after Sulla's civil war in the first century BC,<ref name="Comune-2024b">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="masini2">Template:Cite journal</ref> the original construction of the ancient Roman city gate comprised two arches.<ref name="Comune-2024b" /><ref name="Citta-2023a">Template:Cite web</ref> The north-facing arch was walled as early as the first or second century AD, and incorporated into a medieval cellar.<ref name="Citta-2023a" /><ref name="Pedrazzi-2005">Template:Cite journal</ref> It was uncovered by Alliedaerial bombardment during the Second World War.<ref name="Citta-2023a" /> After Rimini's liberation, the south-facing arch was destroyed by the occupying Allied forces to facilitate the passage of tanks through the city.<ref name="Comune-2024b" /><ref name="Gambetti-2023c">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1949, the remaining arch was deconstructed and reassembled in the courtyard of the Tempio Malatestiano.<ref name="Citta-2023a" /><ref name="Gambetti-2023c" /> Porta Montanara was restored near its original location in 2004,<ref name="Citta-2023a" /><ref name="Pedrazzi-2005" /> at the southern end of Rimini's Template:Lang,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> on the road to the valley of the Marecchia.<ref name="Comune-2024b" />
Template:Interlanguage link. 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.<ref name="Grand Hotel-Piazzale Fellini">Template:Cite web</ref> The fountain features a large circular basin, overlooked by four marine horses which sustain the superior basin.
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, and it was restored in 1933. The clock, 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.
File:Veduta panoramica orizzonatale dell'Anfiteatro.jpgThe ruins of the Roman amphiteatreRoman 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 Template:Convert. The arena measured Template:Convert, not much smaller than the greatest Roman amphitheatres: the edifice could house up to 15,000 spectators.
Rimini has an extensive parks system, with 1.3 million square metres of parks and gardens inside the urban area<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a total of 2.8 million square metres of green areas inside the city limits,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 and oaks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 23 of these are old trees, protected as "monumental trees" for their age and their naturalistic value, such as the London plane 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.
Rimini is the seat of a campus of University of Bologna, attended by 5,800 students,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which include bachelors and masters belonging to eight Faculties: Economics, Statistical Sciences, Pharmacy, Literature and Philosophy, Industrial Chemistry, Sport Sciences, Medicine and Surgery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city's oldest lyceum, the Classical Lyceum "Giulio Cesare", founded in 1800, was attended by Amintore Galli,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Giovanni Pascoli, and Federico Fellini.<ref name="liceocesarevalgimigli.it">Template:Cite web</ref>
Rimini is an important road and railway junction due to its geographic position at the southern tip of the Po Valley, where Adriatic coastal routes meet those extending northwest along the plains.
The Template:Interlanguage link state road runs along the Adriatic Sea from Padua to Otranto, replicating the Via Popilia and the coastal section of the Via Flaminia. Bulging inland, the SS16 constitutes Rimini's bypass road.<ref name="riminiturismo-2024">Template:Cite web</ref>
The tolled A14 Adriatic motorway runs from Bologna to Taranto through Rimini,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="riminiturismo-2024" /> Both exits opened on 13 August 1966 as part of the Cesena–Rimini section.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.
Between 1959 and 1969, a helicopter service flew between Rimini's port and a heliport next to Borgo Maggiore's cablecar terminus in San Marino.<ref name="titanpostsm-2020">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Citta-2023b">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Gambetti-2023b">Template:Cite web</ref> Operated by Compagnia Italiana Elicotteri, the service ran several times per day,<ref name="Citta-2023b" /><ref name="Gambetti-2023b" /> using a fleet of four-seater Bell 47J Rangers and a three-seater Agusta-Bell AB-47G,<ref name="titanpostsm-2020" /><ref name="Citta-2023b" /><ref name="Gambetti-2023b" /> which were serviced at Rimini's airport.<ref name="Gambetti-2023b" /> In 1964, the line was extended to San Leo.<ref name="Citta-2023b" /><ref name="Gambetti-2023b" /> Tickets would cost up to 12,500 lire,<ref name="Citta-2023b" /> 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.<ref name="Citta-2023b" /><ref name="Gambetti-2023b" />
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 Template:Lang along the Adriatic coast.<ref name="Romagna-2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
Rimini's trolleybus system comprises two trolleybus lines that connect the city centres of Rimini and Riccione; both are run by Start Romagna SpA.<ref name="Romagna-2023" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Route 11 runs from Rimini's railway station to Riccione Terme along the principal seafront avenue, serving the touristic seafront.<ref name="Romagna-2023" /> The line originated as a horse-drawn omibus service in 1844,<ref name="trasporti-2006">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Patrimonio-2023">Template:Cite web</ref> running between Rimini and the present-day Parco Federico Fellini.<ref name="Pasini-2017">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was converted to a horse-drawn tram in 1877,<ref name="Pasini-2017" /> and electrified in 1921.<ref name="Pasini-2017" /><ref name="Patrimonio-2023" /><ref name="RiminiToday-2021">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Between 1921 and 1927, it was progressively extended southwards to reach Riccione,<ref name="Pasini-2017" /><ref name="Patrimonio-2023" /><ref name="RiminiToday-2021" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and converted to a trolleybus line in 1939.<ref name="trasporti-2006" /><ref name="Patrimonio-2023" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The newer trolleybus route, Metromare, launched on 23 November 2019, provisionally using motorbuses because of a delay in the delivery of the trolleybus fleet.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TM 350">Trolleybus Magazine No. 350 (March–April 2020), pp. 68, 70.</ref> The Template:Convertbus 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.<ref name="TM 350"/><ref name="TM 368">Trolleybus Magazine No. 368 (March–April 2023), pp. 74, 77. National Trolleybus Association (UK). Template:Issn</ref> The trolleybuses entered service on the line on 28 October 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TM 361">Trolleybus Magazine No. 361 (January–February 2022), p. 34.</ref> A Template:Convert northern extension to Rimini Fiera has been approved, with construction starting in summer 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rimini is served by six FlixBus stops; its principal stop, on Via Annabile Fada, is served by international routes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 and Gradara.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rimini has three ecological stations (Template:Lang) 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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 Template:Convert, and capable of treating the equivalent of 560,000 inhabitants in the summer and 370,000 inhabitants the winter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The purification plant was inaugurated on 31 May 1972,<ref name="Zaghini-2019" /> and doubled in capacity between 2013 and 2015,<ref name="HERA-2024">Template:Cite web</ref> to become Europe's largest purifier.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2013, the municipal government, HERA, and Romagna Acque instituted an eleven-year, 154-million-euro Optimised Bathing Protection Plan (Template:Lang). 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 collection tank, with a Template:Convert capacity, and a lamination tank, with a Template:Convert capacity, was installed under Piazzale Kennedy. As part of the plan, Rimini's sewage system was remodelled between 2014 and 2020.<ref name="HERA-2024" />
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 season (when Rimini was also undefeated in both games against 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 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.<ref name="RiminiToday-2014">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Birra Amarcord-2017">Template:Cite web</ref> First held in 1991, the event takes place over a Template:Convert stretch of beach, between beaches 39 and 47.<ref name="Birra Amarcord-2017" /> In 2023, the competition included 136 teams and 1,600 athletes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The tournament runs between Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday,<ref name="RiminiToday-2014" /> and is accompanied by cultural shows along Rimini's beach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There are two competitions: a Frisbee tournament, and the Freestyle, which is more acrobatic.<ref name="Birra Amarcord-2017" />
Template:Div col endIts twinning with Saint-Maur-des-Fossés was inaugurated on 5 June 1972, and its twinning with Ziguinchor on 8 June 1974.<ref name="Zaghini-2019" />
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