Travelled to Rimini a city I missed getting to in 2023 because the roads in were closed due to flooding.

We looked first at the Arch of Augustus what maybe the oldest extant Roman city gate built during Augustus’ reign. The classical elements of the gate as well as the Arch of Constantine were used by Leon Battista Alberti for the facade of the Tiempo di Malatesta.

Tempio Malatestiano, designed by Alberti for the tyrant Sigismondo Malatesta, contains decoration by Piero as well as Agostino di Duccio, an early Renaissance sculptor who work I looked at in Siena and Perugia.

The cathedral was never finished. Alberti aspired to renew and revive Roman structures of antiquity, here, the triumphal arch, mainly the tripartite Arch of Constantine in Rome, but in details (the base, the half-columns, the discs, moldings) from the Arch of Augustus. The large arcades on the sides are reminiscent of the Roman aqueducts. In each blind arch is a sarcophagus, a gothic tradition of interment under the exterior side arches of a church.

Sigismondo Malatesta was a condottiere and a fierce rival of Francesco di Montefeltro. But both men sought to establish a learned and cultured court.

The fresco was done for the Maletesta family chapel but has been moved to where it is more visible. The church which is the cathedral of Rimini only permits visits for half an hour. 

Inside, the chapel dedicated to St. Sigismund (patron of soldiers), sculptures by Agostino di Duccio

and fresco by Piero della Francesca (Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta in preghiera davanti a san Sigismondo) portraying Malatesta kneeling before the saint (1451).

Another chapel (Cappella degli Angeli) houses the tomb of Isotta and the Giotto crucifix, allegedly painted during Piero’s sojourn in Rimini of 1308-1312. There are also Cappella dei Pianeti (Chapel of the Planets), dedicated to St. Jerome, has zodiacal figures by Duccio. The Chapel of Liberal Arts, has Duccio’s portrayal of Philosophy, Rhetoric and Grammar. The Chapel of the Childhood Games has 61 figures of young angels playing and dancing, by Duccio. We had little time to look.

We looked at Sigismondo’s castle now a museum for Federico Fellini, the film director who was from Rimini.

Sigismondo’s profile and castle were on a medallion in the Perugia museum.

To get to lunch, we walked over a Roman bridge built during the reign of Tiberius, the second emperor after Augustus.  Those Ancient Romans sure could build stuff that lasted. 

After lunch, the group travelled to Bologna airport. An 80 minute drive took 2 1/2 hours because of 2 accidents amid general Sunday traffic.

Said good bye to the group

Luckily I had not prebooked a train. I was able to taxi to Bologna Centrale and buy a ticket for a 7:11 train. It takes a little over an hour. There was information advising of a 24 hour ItalRail strike but that didn’t seem to be happening.  In any event I took an Italo train, the private rail company since the train was leaving sooner.

After a long queue for a taxi, I joined Scott who had a Brunello waiting.