Cesenatico ( rgn, Ziznàtic) is a
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
town with about 26,000 inhabitants on the
Adriatic
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...
coast of
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. It is located in the
province of Forlì-Cesena
The province of Forlì-Cesena ( it, provincia di Forlì-Cesena) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Emilia–Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Forlì. The province has a population of 394,273 as of 2016 over an area of . ...
in the region of
Emilia-Romagna
egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title ...
, about south of
Ravenna
Ravenna ( , , also ; rgn, Ravèna) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 408 until its collapse in 476. It then served as the cap ...
. Cesenatico's port canal was surveyed and drawn by
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
at the request of
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia (; ca-valencia, Cèsar Borja ; es, link=no, César Borja ; 13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was an Italian ex- cardinal and '' condottiero'' (mercenary leader) of Aragonese (Spanish) origin, whose fight for power was a major ...
, as part of his plans to fortify the nearby town of
Cesena
Cesena (; rgn, Cisêna) is a city and ''comune'' in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, served by Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine Mountains, about from the Adriatic Sea. The total population is 97,137.
History
Cesena was o ...
.
History
Cesenatico was founded in 1302. It was considered part of the city of
Cesena
Cesena (; rgn, Cisêna) is a city and ''comune'' in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, served by Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine Mountains, about from the Adriatic Sea. The total population is 97,137.
History
Cesena was o ...
until it was incorporated at the beginning of the 18th century. Its port and canal were built in 1314, with the canal originally planned to reach
Cesena
Cesena (; rgn, Cisêna) is a city and ''comune'' in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, served by Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine Mountains, about from the Adriatic Sea. The total population is 97,137.
History
Cesena was o ...
, some inland. At the request of
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia (; ca-valencia, Cèsar Borja ; es, link=no, César Borja ; 13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was an Italian ex- cardinal and '' condottiero'' (mercenary leader) of Aragonese (Spanish) origin, whose fight for power was a major ...
the canal was later surveyed by
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
. It is often erroneously claimed that da Vinci designed the canal. In 1722
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs, was the son of King James II and VII of England, Scotland and Ireland, and his second wife, Mary of Modena. He was Prince of Wales from ...
(the 'Old Pretender' to the British throne) stayed in Cesenatico's
Capuchin monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
.
From 1860 to today
The Republican vocation of Cesenatico is evident in the elections of the following years, but this did not naturally prevent it from escaping fascism. The war damages were so enormous that it had to be rebuilt almost entirely. The municipal building, the aqueduct tower, the lighthouse, the pier and all the boats, the fish market, the schools as well as the villages of Villalta, Sala, Cannucceto, Villamarina, Bagnarola practically razed to the ground. The nightmare vanished on October 20, 1944 with the entry of the New Zealand allies.
The restoration and reconstruction work was immediately restarted. In 1945 the fishermen's cooperative was founded and a new impulse was given to the tourism that will lead Cesenatico to excel in this field. Many of the old "villas" were converted into hotels, new
colonies
In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the '' metropolitan state'' ...
were started (one of the first was the 12 Star Colony, aimed at children from the
autonomous province of Bolzano
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous area, Autonomous Provinces of Italy, province
, image_skyline = ...
, without language distinctions), and the construction of the famous
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
gave launching a new era focused on mass tourism.
Today Cesenatico has about 22,000 beds with 3 million admissions per season. In 1966 the municipal library was founded; in the same year the coastal city was one of the first municipalities in Europe to start twinning projects with other cities. In 1977 a project of historical-archaeological recovery was brought to light and in the eighties the guidelines were introduced that launched Cesenatico from a global and European perspective.
Monuments and places of interest
Museums
* Seafaring Museum: it is the most famous museum of the city and the only floating museum in Italy, that allows tourists to visit the most important moored ship, called “Trabaccolo da trasporto”. The museum is located in the oldest part of the historical port-canal, which has a long maritime history behind it.
* Marino Moretti’s house museum: Marino Moretti was a famous poet who was born in Cesenatico.
* Spazio Pantani: it is a structure directly managed by the Pantani family to keep alive the memory of the cycling champion
Marco Pantani
Marco Pantani (; 13 January 1970 – 14 February 2004) was an Italian road racing cyclist, widely regarded as the greatest climbing specialist in the history of the sport by measures of his legacy, credits from other riders, and records. He rec ...
.
Municipal library
The municipal library, founded in 1966, is now located in a building of fascist era in Piazza Ciceruacchio. The book collections currently amount to about 60 000 books and the library has around 100 places for study, consultation and reading.
University
Cesenatico hosts one of the seats of the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continuo ...
), for the Bachelor degree in "Aquaculture and Fish Production Hygiene".
Religious architecture
* Parish church of San Giacomo Apostolo. Dating back to 1324, the current structure was defined in 1763, designed by
Pietro Bastoni
Pietro Bastoni (1570–1622) was a Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Umbriatico (1611–1622). ''(in Latin)''
Biography
Pietro Bastoni was born in 1570.
On 24 January 1611, he was appointed during the papacy of Pope Paul V as Bishop of U ...
. Inside, there are some interesting works, among others by
Guido Cagnacci
Guido Cagnacci (13 January 1601 – 1663) was an Italian painter originally from Santarcangelo di Romagna. Associated most readily with the Baroque period, his mature works are characterized by their use of chiaroscuro and their sensual subje ...
.
* Church of San Giuseppe.
* Church of San Pietro Pescatore.
* Church of the Capuchin friars, or Church of Saints Nicola di Mira and Francesco d'Assisi. It dates back to 1611, while the convent is three years later. Inside, there is a painting of
Saint Michael
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
by the painter of
Forlì
Forlì ( , ; rgn, Furlè ; la, Forum Livii) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and city in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. It is the central city of Romagna.
The city is situated along the Via E ...
school .
Society
Traditions and folklore
From 1986 on the boats of the Maritime Museum the Nativity of the Marineria was set up. During the Christmas period, from the first Sunday of December until the Epiphany, the boats of the Floating Section of the Maritime Museum become the stage of the Marine Nativity Scene. The crib was born in 1986 and is the work of the artists Tinin Mantegazza, Maurizio Bertoni and Mino Savadori, from an original idea by Guerrino Gardini. The first sculpted statue was that of San Giacomo, patron saint of Cesenatico to whom many others have been added over the years. These are not just traditional statues that can be seen in the cribs, but glimpses inspired by the life of the common people of a fishing village: fishermen, carpenters, puppeteers.
Every year the crib is enriched with a new statue and a new character. From the seven figures with which they debuted in 1986 today the sculptural heritage is about fifty statues. This is how the project of the artists Bertoni and Savadori was carried out in order to equip each of the boats of a helmsman and a crewman over the years. The figures are thought of as elements of a representation, to be seen from the banks of the Leonardesco Canal Port as well as from an audience; illuminated, because in the crib are the lights that give life to the figures and mark the story.
Main sights
Today Cesenatico is a
tourist
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mo ...
resort. It is home to the Museum of Seafaring (
Museo della Marineria di Cesenatico), where historic fishing boats are displayed in the canal.
In the coastal city of Cesenatico, the port canal (in Italian
Porto Canale Leonardesco) has always been the leading element of the historical city centre: it was the engine of the economy of the city, which relied on maritime trade and fishing and nowadays it is an outstanding point of interest for tourists, which are also attracted by the floating exhibit of the Museum of Seafaring.
The town also features a high
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
, which for a few years was among the 30 highest buildings in Europe.
Notable people
*
Marcella Hazan
Marcella Hazan (née Polini; April 15, 1924 – September 29, 2013) was an Italian cooking writer whose books were published in English.
Her cookbooks are credited with introducing the public in the United States and the United Kingdom to the ...
(1924–2013), cookbook author
*
Emilio Pericoli
Emilio Pericoli (7 January 1928 – 9 April 2013)) was an Italian singer. He was born in Cesenatico, Romagna, Italy.
Pericoli's success was closely tied to the Sanremo Festival. He recorded a cover version of the song, " Al di là", by festival ...
(1928–2013), singer
*
Giorgio Ghezzi
Giorgio Ghezzi (; 11 July 1930 – 12 December 1990), nicknamed "Kamikaze", was an Italian football manager and player who played as a goalkeeper.
Club career
Born in Cesenatico, Ghezzi started his career at Rimini in 1947 and later played for ...
(1930–1990), football goalkeeper and manager, 447 caps
*
Maurizio Delvecchio
Maurizio Delvecchio (born 22 May 1962) is an Italian painter. He was born in Basel, Switzerland into an Italian family.
Back in Italy, with his parents, he graduated from the Art School in Ravenna. In 1985 he graduated from the Academy of Fine Ar ...
(born 1962), painter, lives and works in Cesenatico
*
Marco Pantani
Marco Pantani (; 13 January 1970 – 14 February 2004) was an Italian road racing cyclist, widely regarded as the greatest climbing specialist in the history of the sport by measures of his legacy, credits from other riders, and records. He rec ...
(1970–2004), road racing cyclist
*
Mattia Graffiedi
Mattia Graffiedi (born 26 May 1980) is an Italian footballer who played as a forward.
He first played for Cesena, later moving on to more prestigious clubs such as A.C. Milan. However, most of his career has been spent at teams in Serie B.
Ca ...
(born 1980), footballer, over 350 caps
*
Dalia Muccioli (born 1993), racing cyclist
Events
Cesenatico hosts every year the final stage of the
Italian Mathematics Olympiad, a mathematical ''battle of wits'' between the best 300 high school students in Italy. It is usually held in the week-end following the first Thursday of May.
Cesenatico holds the Annual "Marco Pantani Nove Colli" cycling road event across nine of the Apennine foothills in May of each year. Other events associated include the Nove Colli Off Road and Junior Event in September each year.
Suburbs
Bagnarola, Borella, Cannucceto, Sala, Valverde, Villalta, Villamarina, Zadina.
Twin towns – sister cities
The town is
twinned with:
*
Aubenas
Aubenas (; oc, Aubenàs) is a commune in the southern part of the Ardèche department in Southern France. It is the seat of several government offices. The mountainous and rugged countryside is popular for vacation homes. The river Ardèche flo ...
, France
*
Schwarzenbek
Schwarzenbek is a town in the district of Lauenburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approximately 10 km northeast of Geesthacht, and 35 km east of Hamburg. Schwarzenbeks' coat of arms shows a black wolf on a yellow fiel ...
, Germany
*
Sierre
Sierre (; german: Siders, ; frp, Siérro, ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 16,332.
Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun (french: Cité du Soleil) for i ...
, Switzerland
*
Zelzate
Zelzate () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality only comprises the town of Zelzate proper. In 2021, Zelzate had a total population of 13,124. The total area is 13.71 km2.
Zelzate is divided int ...
, Belgium
External links
Official website
Cesenatico's official tourism info
Official hotel booking site by local tourist office ''IAT''
Cesenatico Webcamby Municipality Site
Cesenatico Webcamby Romagna on Web
by Agenzia Zadina
from crwflags.com
Italian Mathematical Olympiadofficial site
Cesenatico's sailing associationby Congregavelisti.it
Restaurants Official site
Sources
{{authority control
1302 establishments in Europe
14th-century establishments in Italy
Cities and towns in Emilia-Romagna
Populated places established in the 1300s