Rimini and the Bridge of Tiberius
The Arch of Augustus and the Roman bridges
Behind the beaches and nightlife of the Riviera, Rimini hides a historic centre of two thousand years of history. Founded by the Romans in 268 BC as Ariminum, it was a key junction between the Via Flaminia, coming from Rome, and the Via Emilia, leading to the north. The two great Roman monuments of the city mark the beginning of these roads. The Arch of Augustus, built in 27 BC in honour of the emperor, who had restored the Via Flaminia, is considered the oldest Roman arch preserved; it was once the gate of the city, and the battlements were added in the Middle Ages.
At the other end of the main street, the Corso d'Augusto, the Bridge of Tiberius crosses the Marecchia canal with five arches of white Istrian stone: begun under Augustus in 14 AD and completed under Tiberius in 21 AD, it has resisted earthquakes, floods and wars, including an attempt by the retreating Germans to blow it up in 1944, and for two thousand years it has been in daily use. Today, next to the bridge, a floating walkway has created a "square on the water", the Piazza sull'Acqua, which allows you to admire it from below. The historic centre also has the Domus del Chirurgo, the house of a Roman surgeon of the third century, where over 150 surgical instruments were found, and the Castel Sismondo, the fortress of the Malatesta. The village of San Giuliano, beyond the bridge, is an old fishermen's district with houses painted with murals inspired by Federico Fellini.
Tip: the Domus del Chirurgo is part of the city museums; walk across the bridge at sunset, then dine in the Borgo San Giuliano.
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