Rimini Ravenna and Bologna

In addition to our battlefield and tiny country tours, we took the opportunity to explore the ancient cities of Rimini, Ravenna and Bologna during our visit to Italy. All of the cities have impressive structures that are thousands of years old.

Rimini

Rimini has been inhabited from ancient times but was created as a Roman city in 268 BC when 6,000 Romans were sent to Rimini to establish a base at the mouth of the Marecchia River to expand into the Po Valley.

The beaches of Rimini are a huge attraction these days. The view from our hotel shows the beaches being prepared for the upcoming summer season. Each hotel has a separate strip of land that is populated with beach chairs rentable by the day.

Rimini Landmarks

An illustration of ancient Rimini, showing the Arch of Augustus, the Tiberius Bridge, Roman Coliseum and Forum.

Arch of Augustus

The Arch of Augustus was built in 27 BC as the gateway to Via Flaminia, the road linking Rimini to Rome, honouring Emperor Augustus. The Arch was originally integrated into the walls surrounding Rimini. The walls and surrounding buildings were demolished in 1936 to create a free-standing monument, the oldest arch in Italy.

The faces of Jupiter and Zeus adorn the outside of the arch.

Rimini was a major German supply and communication hub so it was bombed 373 times in 1943 and 1944, resulting in 98% of the buildings of the city being damaged. Remarkably, the Arch was not damaged. A view of the arch when the Allies captured the city. A disabled Calgary Regiment tank in front of the Arch.

During the German retreat, the order was given to destroy the Arch. The following story explains how the Arch was saved.

Trageser refused to blow up the Arch of Augustus. The task had been entrusted to him by Lieutenant Renberg and was to be carried out by a young non-commissioned officer originally from the Sudetenland, whose name Trageser – in the conversation reported by Montemaggi – did not remember: "I personally gave the order not to blow up the Arch, assuming full responsibility for it... It seemed absurd to me to destroy a historical monument of this kind and achieve no result, given that the arch was isolated in the middle of a square and therefore traffic could have continued perfectly well, both to the right and left of the monument itself... "

Interestingly, however, the Arch faced greater danger with the arrival of the British. Montemaggi, in fact, recalls the struggles that Public Works Councillor Mario Macina had to wage with British engineers to prevent the monumental stones from being used to consolidate the surface of the numerous roads destroyed by the tracks and wheels of thousands of vehicles.

Once again, the Arch was miraculously saved by Sergio Santarini , a middle school principal from Rimini, who happened to be passing by the monument and saw a team of black South Africans and mixed-race people from Mauritius, part of the Engineering Corps, who had already chained the monument to demolish it.

Horrified, he ran to the offices of the Town Mayor (the British Governor) to report what he had seen. The British took action and cleared up the misunderstanding.

Tiberius Bridge

Another ancient landmark of Rimini is the Tiberius Bridge, one of the best-preserved Roman bridges in the world completed in 21 AD, with 5 semicircular arches spanning 70 metres.

Again, it was a miracle the bridge survived the war. The multiple bombings did not severely damage the bridge. Also, during their retreat, the Germans tried to blow up the Tiberius Bridge as they had all of the other bridges in the area. There are several stories as to why the bridge survived. One was the German Officer in charge refused to destroy the ancient landmark, others included the bridge design was too robust, the explosives were faulty or the Germans needed the bridge to escape and waited too long to detonate.

A modern narrative source recounts that a German officer—identified as Marshal Trek Esere—deliberately disobeyed the order to destroy the bridge, sparing it as an act of personal defiance. This account describes how the demolition cavities were prepared, but the officer chose not to complete the destruction.

While this story is compelling, it appears in contemporary retellings rather than primary wartime documentation. It should be treated as a plausible but not definitively proven explanation.

 

Piazza Tre Martiri (Roman Forum)

The Piazza Tre Martiri sits on top of the ancient Roman Forum. It is named the Square of the Three Martyrs for the three Italian partisans who were executed in August 1944, just before the liberation of the city.

Julius Caeser made a famous speech after crossing the Rubicon and a statue of him adorns the square.

The clock tower dates from 1547 and features a second dial that tracks the zodiac signs and the phases of the moon.

Clock tower in WW2.

Malatestian Temple

The Malatestian Temple (Tempio Malatestiano) in Rimini is a landmark of the Italian Renaissance, representing the ambitious transformation of a 13th-century Gothic church into a monumental dynastic mausoleum. Today, the building serves as the Cathedral of Rimini (dedicated to St. Columba). It suffered significant damage during WWII bombings but was meticulously restored in the 1950s.

The temple was constructed at the direction of Sigismondo Malatesta in honour of his lover and later wife, Isotta degli Atti. The construction started in 1447 on the site of a 13^th century church. The chapel was constructed quickly but the proposed dome was never constructed due to Sigismondo’s death in 1468, leading to an unfinished look. The intertwined initials of I and S feature prominently as do sculptures of Elephants, Sigismondo’s personal symbol. His tag line was “Elephas Indus cullices non timet”. For those of you whose Latin is a bit rusty: “The Indian Elephant does not fear mosquitoes”. This was a shot at the Pope, who later had Sigismondo excommunicated.

The I/S symbol is everywhere.

Castel Sismondo

Castel Sismondo is a formidable 15th-century fortress located in the heart of Rimini. Built by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (same guy as previous building), the ruler of Rimini, it served as both a defensive stronghold and a grand princely residence. Today, the castle has been completely reimagined. It now serves as a primary wing of the Federico Fellini Museum, dedicated to the legendary film director who was born in Rimini.

Since 1857, the castle was used as a prison. During WW2, bombing heavily damaged the castle and one bomb destroyed the front gate allowing prisoners to escape. Rachel didn’t see any while inspecting the renovated door. 

The building across the street was aslo heavily damaged.

Domus del Chirurgo

The Domus del Chirurgo (Surgeon’s House) is an extraordinary archaeological site in Rimini, often described as a "little Pompeii" because of its remarkable state of preservation. A purpose-built structure now protects the discovery.

Discovered in 1989 during renovations to the Piazza Ferrari, this Roman villa provides a rare, frozen-in-time look at medical life in the 3rd century AD. A fire in the late 3^rd century destroyed the building, collapsed the roof and buried rooms under the rubble. The site subsequently became a garden, an orchard then an open space, so no heavy construction destroyed the Roman ruins.

Along with well preserved mosaics, a 150-piece surgical kit was also discovered. Remarkably precise tools were found during the archeological dig.

Murales del borgo San Giuliano

The Murales del Borgo San Giuliano are a vibrant collection of wall paintings that decorate the historic fishermen's quarter of Rimini, located just across the ancient Ponte di Tiberio (Bridge of Tiberius).

Once a poor, marginalized neighborhood, Borgo San Giuliano has transformed into one of the most picturesque and "Instagrammable" areas of the city thanks to these artworks.

Roman Amphitheatre

The Roman Amphitheatre in Rimini was a massive 2^nd century arena built under Emperor Hadrian, confirmed with a coin bearing his likeness embedded in the masonry. The Amphitheatre of holding 10,000–12,000 spectators, and today only fragments survive due to medieval reuse and WWII bombing.

Constructed in brick with a classic elliptical plan, similar in proportions to the Colosseum.

·       Major axis: 118 m

·       Minor axis: 88 m

·       Arena: ~74 × 45 m

·       Height: 16–17 m

·       Exterior portico: 60 arches

This scale made it one of the largest amphitheatres in northern Italy and the only one still partially surviving in Emilia‑Romagna. The amphitheatre was built into the defensive walls of Rimini and after the decline of the Roman Empire used as a quarry for other buildings. It was rediscovered in the 1840’s but severe damage caused by WW2 bombing mean only fragments remain today.

Translation of a plaque outside the building.

And as always, we had a great lunch at La Mi Mama, recommended by Maggy, Rachel’s Italian buddy.

Ravenna

Ravenna was started as an Adriatic port city, connected to the sea by canals. In 402 AD the capital of the Western Roman Empire was moved from Milan to Ravenna because of the marshy ground surrounding it was a natural defence and the canals provided easy naval access. The capital was moved from Rome to Milan in 286 AD as it was closer to the northern frontiers where most of the Military crises were occurring and was easier to defend than Rome.

Wealth and artisans flowed into Ravenna, laying the foundations for the early Christian mosaic traditions. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was built around 425 AD

The walls and ceilings are decorated with intricate mosaics.

In 493 AD Ravenna became the capital of the Ostrogoths for 50 years and the Bascillica of Sant ’Apollinare Nuovo was built, continuing with the intricate mosaic designs. The Ostrogoths were Gothic people originally from the Eastern Germany region.

The Basilica has a procession of martyrs marching toward Jesus on one wall, and a procession of virgins marching toward Mary on the other wall.

The ceiling is also elaborately tiled. Sant ‘Apollinare was bombed during WW2, the building structure was damaged, but the mosaics remained largely intact.

The Byzantines captured Ravenna in 540 AD and made it the capital of Byzantine Italy. The Byzantines were people of the Eastern Roman Empire who spoke Greek.

San Vitale from 547 AD was the most important church in the West.

Unbelievably intricate work in the dome.

The walls are covered in mosaics as well.

Heavily figured African marble adorns the pillars.

Mosaics also cover the floors.

The Lombards conquered Ravenna and most of Italy in 751 AD. Ravenna became much less important and no money was spent on churches. The mosaics survived through benign neglect and were left untouched until the 19^th century.

Ravenna today has eight UNESCO world heritage sites and contains the best-preserved mosaics, dating back more than 1,500 years. The photos do not do justice to the scale and extent of the mosaics. We did a tour with a guide we suspect was an art history major as her knowledge and passion for the subject was well beyond standard tour guide patter.

Bologna

Rachel’s buddy Maggy is from Bologna, and since we were flying in and out from Bologna, it was essential that we visit. Bologna has been inhabited since ancient times, becoming a Roman city in 189 BC and transferred control through The Visigoths, Goths, Huns and Lombards following the fall of the Roman Empire.

In 1088 the University of Bologna was established, the oldest university in Europe. The iconic towers of Asinelli and Garisenda built starting in 1109 and used for signalling and defence. Garisenda, the smaller tower, has a 4-degree lean equivalent to the leaning tower of Pisa due to unstable ground under the tower. The lean is accelerating so work is underway to stabilize the tower. 

The lean is more evident from this angle.

Basilica di San Petronio

The Basilica di San Petronio is Bologna’s great unfinished Gothic Basilica, begun in 1390 as a massive civic church intended to surpass St. Peter’s in Rome, but never completed due to political, financial, and architectural obstacles.

The Basilica design is Italian Gothic with a Capacity of approximately 28,000 people (one of the largest churches in Europe)

The unfinished façade is one of Bologna’s most recognizable features. Only the lower marble portion was completed; the upper half remains brick.

The unfinished façade is one of Bologna’s most recognizable features. Only the lower marble portion was completed; the upper half remains brick.

Inside the left aisle is a 1655 astronomical sundial created by Gian Domenico Cassini. A small hole in the vault projects sunlight onto a 67‑meter meridian line that was used to measure the solar year with extraordinary precision.

The hole projects a spot on the meridian line. The shape of the spot depends on the time of year.

The spot tracing the meridian line.

The Basilica has 22 side chapels in its massive interior.

Bologna was heavily bombed during WW2 and the Basilica suffered some damage. The precious relics were protected and the massive Gothic structure meant it survived more intact than many of the surrounding buildings.

Archiginnasio Library

The most famous library in Bologna and one of the most important in all of Italy is the Archiginnasio Library (Biblioteca Comunale dell’Archiginnasio). It is the historic library of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in Europe (founded 1088). It holds over 850,000 volumes, including rare manuscripts, incunabula (books printed before 1501), and early printed books.

The library sits inside the Archiginnasio Palace, one of Bologna’s most beautiful Renaissance buildings. It survived WWII bombing, though part of the building was destroyed in 1944 and later rebuilt. Elaborate coats of arms over the ages adorn the library walls.

We came upon a cute market with very high-end products. Lots of lookers but not too many buyers.

Santo Stefano Complex

Bologna’s most distinctive collection of churches is the Santo Stefano complex, also known as the Sette Chiese (“Seven Churches”), a unique cluster of interconnected religious buildings forming a single sacred labyrinth. It is the city’s most unusual religious site: a fusion of multiple churches, courtyards, cloisters, and monastic structures built across more than 1,500 years.

Although popularly called the Seven Churches, the number has changed over time. Historically seven, today four main churches remain, but the name persists because of the symbolic and architectural unity of the site.

The walking map shows how the churches are linked together.

The complex began in the 5th century, when Bishop Petronius built a church over the remains of a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. His intention, according to tradition, was to recreate the sacred sites of Jerusalem—especially the Holy Sepulchre—within Bologna.

Over the centuries, Franks, Lombards, and later Benedictine monks expanded and reshaped the complex (10^th –13^th centuries), adding chapels, cloisters, and monastic buildings.

The main components of the Santo Stefano complex

Below is an overview of the principal structures within the collection:

• Chiesa del Crocifisso (Church of the Crucifix) 

  A 7^th century Lombard church, austere in style, containing a 14^th century crucifix by Simone dei Crocifissi.

• Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro (Church of the Holy Sepulchre) 

  Octagonal, built to imitate the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem; originally from the 5^th  century, rebuilt in the 12^th.

• Chiesa dei Santi Vitale e Agricola 

  Houses the sarcophagi of Bologna’s early Christian martyrs Vitale and Agricola.

• Chiesa della Trinità (Church of the Trinity) 

  Reworked in the 12^th –13^th  centuries; notable for its medieval wooden sculptures and Romanesque capitals.

• Cortile di Pilato (Courtyard of Pilate) 

  Contains an 8^th ‑century marble basin donated by Lombard kings Liutprand and Hildeprand.

• Medieval Cloister 

  A two‑level Romanesque cloister (10^th–13^th centuries), one of the finest in Emilia‑Romagna.

• Santo Stefano Museum 

  Displays artworks from the complex, including works by Vitale da Bologna and Simone dei Crocifissi.

Chiesa del Crocifisso (Church of the Crucifix)

Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro (Church of the Holy Sepulchre)

Basilica of San Stefano

Final Thoughts

The most exotic meal I had was a local delicacy, Mediterranean style Turbot. The entire fish was delivered on a giant platter, covered with sauce and potatoes. The fish was delicious, but Turbot, being a flat fish, is very thin so it was an adventure digging out the meat from the many, many bones. I enjoyed a lot of seafood in many forms, but this was the most unique.

It was a great trip to Italy. The food was wonderful everywhere we ate and any of the tours we did, Battlefield Touring, visit to San Marino or turning the ancient Roman cities of Rimini, Ravenna and Bologna would have made for a great trip. The weather was spectacular and the visits were magnificent.

Touring the ancient cities of Rimini, Ravenna and Bologna and seeing structures that are 2,000 years old gives you an appreciation of what old really means. The craftmanship and engineering knowledge to create structures that last millennia and survive multiple regime changes and innumerable wars is a testament to skills of the ancients.

This is not a location that is top of anyone’s list of a must visit in Italy, but combination of ancient and military history and the collection of another tiny country made this one of our top travels.