Piazza Tre Martiri

Piazza Tre Martiri occupies the site of the Roman forum of Ariminum, where the colony's principal streets met. Its monuments trace layers of Rimini's history: a column associated with Julius Caesar, an astronomical clock, the Tempietto of Sant'Antonio and a memorial to three partisans executed in 1944.

Why it matters

The forum stood at the crossing of the cardo and decumanus of Ariminum, founded in 268 BCE. Sections of Roman paving remain visible in the modern square. A cippus erected in 1555 commemorates the tradition that Caesar addressed his soldiers here after crossing the Rubicon; the tradition is not an established historical identification.

The square's present name honours Mario Capelli, Luigi Nicolò and Adelio Pagliarani, three partisans hanged here on 16 August 1944 in reprisal during the German occupation. A marble marker in the paving commemorates their deaths.

What to notice

The Caesar cippus stands near the centre of the square, with a bronze statue facing it. The Torre dell'Orologio occupies the northern side: the adjoining building dates to 1547, and Francesco Buonamici redesigned the tower in 1759. After the 1875 earthquake, its upper portion was demolished. Since 1750, the clock face has displayed a calendar with zodiac signs and lunar phases.

At the southeast corner, the octagonal Tempietto di Sant'Antonio is built in Istrian and San Marino stone. The “colonna del miracolo” is preserved beneath its altar. The square also retains exposed fragments of Roman paving, and the arco dei Magnani, once used to bring goods into the forum, was demolished in 1921.

Context and history

In Roman times, the forum extended beyond the boundaries of today's square and served as the city's political and commercial centre. Medieval markets, tournaments and civic ceremonies continued its public role. The sixteenth-century building and clock tower reshaped the square, while its modern name and 2000 redesign brought the memory of the Resistance into the same historic setting. Restoration of the Tempietto was completed in 2024.