Malatestiano Temple

This cathedral is the masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance. Tempio Malatestiano is a beautiful one-nave church built by Leon Battista Alberti in 1450, by order Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. The church was supposed to represent the secular power of the client, and the impression was enhanced by a fantastic ornament in the interior with mystical and secret iconography. Reminiscence of antiquity is evident on the facade of the Cathedral. The façade repeats the motif of the triumphal arch, and on the sides of the arcade motif imitating ancient aqueduct. The sarcophagi of Sigismondo Malatesta and his mistress Isotte degli Atti were to be located in the semicircular recesses on the facade, and the recesses on the sides of the building were intended as the tombs of scholars and poets from Malatesta's court. But the Cathedral was never completed. The medal by Matteo de 'Pasti from 1450 shows the original appearance that the temple should have had, with a large rotunda covered by a hemispherical dome similar to that of the Pantheon. It is beautiful on the inside where the works of famous Italian Renaissance painters and sculptors decorate the Cathedral. We can admire the Giotto’s Crucifix ( Crocifisso di Rimini ), fresco by Piero della Francesca ( Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta in preghiera davanti a San Sigismondo (1451), a large canvas by Vasari (San Francesco che riceve le stigmate). We also enjoyed the magnificent works of the artists Leon Battista Alberti, Matteo de 'Pasti, Agostino di Duccio. Magnificent Cathedral with a lovely atmosphere.

One of the most amazing Renaissance Monument of central Italy. Wanted by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, it was ideated by Leon Battista Alberti on Vitruvio's rediscovered ideas on architecture. Inside there are Malatesta's Funeral chapels amazingly decorated with astrological and classical iconology. Not enough? Inside there are also the Sigismondos fresco by Piero della Francesca and the Giotto's wooden crucifix!

Decent size church. Outside better than inside. Wooden roof. Close to covered market

Il Duomo "the Dome" it is the main Cathedral of Rimini down town. It was built during medieval age under the Signoria of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta by several and most important craftsmen of the time as well as Duccio di Buoninsegna and other artistes. It was partially destroyed during the Second War and immediately rebuilt. Inside it is possible to see a wonderful decorations, sculptures, marbles, pagliotti...definitely it deserve to be seen.

THE must-see historical place in Rimini. Besides the beauty of architecture and art, look at Sigismondo and Isotta's shield of arms: the S bisected bi the I looks JUST like a dollar sign (also does when the I is an apple tree and the S a snake around it). Ever wondered why the sign for "dollar" should be based on an S? You do know the founding fathers were way into secret society and occult symbols, Freemasonry being just an appetizer thereto, right?-) ["dollar" comes from "thaler", but the S makes no clear sense for the root word either; that's very different from the pound symbol being a barred L, as "pound" stands for Latin "Libra" which explains the L]...