How Rimini’s Historic Center Has Changed in 10 Years
One of the first questions hotel guests ask me is always what they can see and visit.
My answer has always been: Rimini’s historic center.
Because within a few hundred meters, you can see monuments dating back to the Roman and Renaissance periods.
Roman Rimini is represented by:
- Arch of Augustus
- Montanara Gate
- Gate
- Tiberius Bridge
- Roman Amphitheater
- Surgeon’s House (Domus del Chirurgo)
The Renaissance is represented by:
- Castel Sismondo
- Malatesta Temple (a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage)
Walking through the streets of the center, you might feel like a Roman centurion or as if you’ve stepped into the Malatesta family’s court.
What has changed over the past is the setting.
In the last 10 years, everything surrounding the monuments—and in some cases, the monuments themselves—has been enhanced.
What am I talking about?
The 4 new landmarks enclosed in a quadrilateral within a 1000-meter radius.
Here they are:
- Piazzetta dell’Acqua near the Tiberius Bridge
- Cinema Fulgor
- Teatro Galli
- Park in front of Castel Sismondo
Let’s take a closer look and explore them.
Piazzetta dell’Acqua near the Tiberius Bridge
The Tiberius Bridge itself is certainly not new.
What has changed is the setting, which has made it even more fascinating.
The basin has been completely renovated. The perimeter has become a real square overlooking the bridge.
A place to host community events, such as open-air cinema or music festivals.
Or simply a spot to read a book.
The bridge, standing tall at 2,000 years old, radiates a newfound youth.
Soon, cars will disappear too, and it will enjoy a well-deserved rest, walked on only by happy tourists.
Fulgor Cinema
This is the cinema where Federico Fellini discovered the seventh art, watching the film Maciste in Hell while sitting on his father’s lap.
He loved it so much that he included it in his film Amarcord.
Until the 1990s, it was one of the many movie theaters in Rimini. With the rise of multiplex cinemas, everything changed, and it remained closed for several years.
It is located on Corso D’Augusto, 150 meters from the Tiberius Bridge and 100 meters from the Galli Theater and Castel Sismondo.
The cinema was renovated by set designer Dante Ferretti.
He worked on five films with Federico Fellini and designed the Fulgor with a set inspired by American films of the 1930s.
With the opening of the Fellini Museum, the Fulgor cinema will be one of the three main parts.
It will host, on the second and third floors, rooms where the director’s sketches and all of his films will be displayed.
The cinema and its rooms can already be visited by groups of at least 15 people.
The cost is 7 euros per person.
For more information, click this link: https://www.cinemafulgorrimini.it/visite-guidate/
Galli Theater
For years, it was an open wound in the center of Rimini. It was destroyed during the bombings of World War II.
For years, its spaces were used in the most absurd ways (even as a gym).
Fortunately, after decades of debate on how it should be rebuilt, the Theater was recreated as it was originally designed by Architect Poletti.
It was inaugurated on October 28, 2018.
Since then, the best theater, dance, and music artists have graced its stage.
Roberto Bolle, Riccardo Muti, and Cecilia Bartoli, just to name a few.
It is a place to see because it leaves everyone in awe.
During the summer, guided tours are organized every Friday.
For more information, check the website at this link: http://www.teatrogalli.it/
Park in front of Castel Sismondo
For years, it was a parking lot, and this photo shows it.
Now, let me show you how it looks today.
As you can see, everything has changed.
It’s a spectacle. The best part is that Castel Sismondo will also host part of the Fellini Museum.
Inside its rooms, the film sets of some of the Rimini director’s films will be set up.
We’re talking about the scene with Anita Ekberg in the Trevi Fountain or the grandfather getting lost in the fog in Amarcord.
Thanks to technology (augmented reality, etc.), the scenes that made Fellini a worldwide legend will be recreated.
The area around the Galli Theater and Castel Sismondo will be closed to traffic and will become a pedestrian zone.
As you can see, the city has truly shifted gears, focusing decisively on culture and the beauty of its monuments.
I can only invite you to return to Rimini and discover these new gems.
If you need to book your vacation in Rimini, visit the Aqua Hotel 4-Star website in Marina Centro at the following link: https://www.aquahotel.it/
I look forward to seeing you in Rimini.
Cristian
