On the coast, at the mouth of the Ariminus River, on land previously inhabited by Etruscans, Umbrians, Greeks and Gauls, the Romans founded the colony of Ariminum in 268 A.D. Often the object of attention of emperors, but in particular of Augustus and Adriano, the town lived a splendid period, in which its most impressive and suggestive traces are still the Arc d’Augusto, the Tiberian Bridge, the Amphiteatre and the Surgeon’s house. Evidence remains of the flourishing Medieval period in the Palazzo dell’Arengo and in the splendid thirteenth century frescoes in the Sant’Agostino Church , a masterpiece of Rimini’s art school dating back from the fouteenth century. Between the XIII and XVI centuries the lands around Rimini were governed by the Signoria dei Malatesta, one of the most powerful families of the period. Under the Malatesta family, every village in the surrounding area became a castle, the arts and culture flourished: the Malatestiano Temple was created, a masterpiece of the Renaissance period, built by Leon Battista Alberti and embellished with a crucifix by Giotto, a fresco by Piero della Francesca, and relieves by Agostino di Duccio and Matteo de’Pasti. The main exponent of the family, Sigismondo Pandolfo, built his sumptuous residence , the recently restored Castel Sismondo, which still dominates the historical centre of Rimini.
Not only Rimini, but the surrounding countryside holds memories of extraordinary historical interest and maintains ancient traditions: in the fairs and folk festivals, and in handmade products.