Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Malatesta

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - Only about 100 meters from the Cathedral stands the pre-Romanesque Pieve (parish church), dedicated to the "Vergine Assunta". According to tradition, it was St. Leo himself who built the first church, when, between the 3rd and 4th centuries, he evangelized the locals here.

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - Only about 100 meters from the Cathedral stands the pre-Romanesque Pieve (parish church), dedicated to the "Vergine Assunta". According to tradition, it was St. Leo himself who built the first church, when, between the 3rd and 4th centuries, he evangelized the locals here.

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - The rocky site on which the cathedral stands was used since prehistoric times for the worship of deities. The construction of the first early medieval cathedral took place in the seventh century when San Leo became the seat of a diocese. The remains of the first church are integrated into the present Longobard structure. Originally the cathedral did not stand isolated but was flanked by the bishop's palace, the seat of the canons, the hospital, the sacristy, and probably the baptistery. These buildings formed for several centuries the cathedral quarter, a kind of religious, probably fortified citadel. The entrance is located on one side and not on the facade, which is located on a steep rocky slope. Like most buildings here, the cathedral has no foundations, since it rests directly on the rock. Some of the capitals look pretty archaic. They were probably created for the predecessing church.

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - The rocky site on which the cathedral stands was used since prehistoric times for the worship of deities. The construction of the first early medieval cathedral took place in the seventh century when San Leo became the seat of a diocese. The remains of the first church are integrated into the present Longobard structure. Originally the cathedral did not stand isolated but was flanked by the bishop's palace, the seat of the canons, the hospital, the sacristy, and probably the baptistery. These buildings formed for several centuries the cathedral quarter, a kind of religious, probably fortified citadel. The entrance is located on one side and not on the facade, which is located on a steep rocky slope. Like most buildings here, the cathedral has no foundations, since it rests directly on the rock. The crypt

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - The rocky site on which the cathedral stands was used since prehistoric times for the worship of deities. The construction of the first early medieval cathedral took place in the seventh century when San Leo became the seat of a diocese. The remains of the first church are integrated into the present Longobard structure. Originally the cathedral did not stand isolated but was flanked by the bishop's palace, the seat of the canons, the hospital, the sacristy, and probably the baptistery. These buildings formed for several centuries the cathedral quarter, a kind of religious, probably fortified citadel. The entrance is located on one side and not on the facade, which is located on a steep rocky slope. Like most buildings here, the cathedral has no foundations, since it rests directly on the rock. Some older capitals were recycled here.

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - The rocky site on which the cathedral stands was used since prehistoric times for the worship of deities. The construction of the first early medieval cathedral took place in the seventh century when San Leo became the seat of a diocese. The remains of the first church are integrated into the present Longobard structure. Originally the cathedral did not stand isolated but was flanked by the bishop's palace, the seat of the canons, the hospital, the sacristy, and probably the baptistery. These buildings formed for several centuries the cathedral quarter, a kind of religious, probably fortified citadel. The entrance is located on one side and not on the facade, which is located on a steep rocky slope. Like most buildings here, the cathedral has no foundations, since it rests directly on the rock. The nave

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - The rocky site on which the cathedral stands was used since prehistoric times for the worship of deities. The construction of the first early medieval cathedral took place in the seventh century when San Leo became the seat of a diocese. The remains of the first church are integrated into the present Longobard structure. Originally the cathedral did not stand isolated but was flanked by the bishop's palace, the seat of the canons, the hospital, the sacristy, and probably the baptistery. These buildings formed for several centuries the cathedral quarter, a kind of religious, probably fortified citadel. The entrance is located on one side and not on the facade, which is located on a steep rocky slope. Like most buildings here, the cathedral has no foundations, since it rests directly on the rock. The nave

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - The rocky site on which the cathedral stands was used since prehistoric times for the worship of deities. The construction of the first early medieval cathedral took place in the seventh century when San Leo became the seat of a diocese. The remains of the first church are integrated into the present Longobard structure. Originally the cathedral did not stand isolated but was flanked by the bishop's palace, the seat of the canons, the hospital, the sacristy, and probably the baptistery. These buildings formed for several centuries the cathedral quarter, a kind of religious, probably fortified citadel. The entrance is located on one side and not on the facade, which is located on a steep rocky slope. Like most buildings here, the cathedral has no foundations, since it rests directly on the rock. The apse

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. - The rocky site on which the cathedral stands was used since prehistoric times for the worship of deities. The construction of the first early medieval cathedral took place in the seventh century when San Leo became the seat of a diocese. The remains of the first church are integrated into the present Longobard structure. Originally the cathedral did not stand isolated but was flanked by the bishop's palace, the seat of the canons, the hospital, the sacristy, and probably the baptistery. These buildings formed for several centuries the cathedral quarter, a kind of religious, probably fortified citadel. The entrance is located on one side and not on the facade, which is located on a steep rocky slope. Like most buildings here, the cathedral has no foundations, since it rests directly on the rock.

San Leo, a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Rimini, borders the small state of San Marino, as does Verucchio (prev. upload). The town was under the rule of the Lombards since 568. The first bishop mentioned was called Agathus and in 826 he took part in a bishops' meeting in Rome. The Lombard Duke Orso resided here since 885. In the dispute between the German king Otto I and his rival Berengar II who held court here between 962 and 963, the latter was besieged by Otto I and forced to surrender. He was then taken prisoner to Bamberg, where he died. In 1155 Montefeltrano I the first member of the noble family of Montefeltro, is mentioned in San Leo. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II granted two of his descendants the County of Urbino, which included the town and its surroundings. After battles between the Montefeltro and the Malatesta of Rimini, from 1441 the town belonged again to the original lords. The fortress above San Leo is visible from afar. In the late 15th century, the architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini, following the will of the Duke of Urbino, Federico of Montefeltro, undertook the extension and so creating a practically impregnable fortress. Since the 18th century, the fortress of San Leo served as a dungeon for the Vatican. Between 1791 and 1795, the most famous prisoner was Giuseppe Balsamo, better known by the name Count Alessandro Cagliostro, who spent four years of torturous imprisonment here after being condemned to death for heresy by the Holy Inquisition and having his sentence commuted to life imprisonment by Pope Pius VI. He died in 1795 in a dungeon of the fortress.

The area was inhabited by Etruscans until the arrival of the Celts, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC the Roman Republic founded the colonia of Ariminum. The end of Roman rule was marked by the destruction caused by invasions and wars. When the Ostrogoths conquered Rimini in 493, Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the Gothic War (535–554), Rimini was taken and retaken many times. Under Byzantine rule, it was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 728, it was taken with many other cities by Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735. Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter. The Ponte di Tiberio (Tiberius Bridge) features five semicircular arches with an average span length of ca. 8 m. Construction work started during Augustus' reign and was finished under his successor Tiberius in 20 AD. The bridge was the only crossing of the Marecchia not destroyed by the retreating German army during the Battle of Rimini. The Tiberius Bridge, starting point of the Via Emilia, is still open to pedestrians today.

The area was inhabited by Etruscans until the arrival of the Celts, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC the Roman Republic founded the colonia of Ariminum. The end of Roman rule was marked by the destruction caused by invasions and wars. When the Ostrogoths conquered Rimini in 493, Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the Gothic War (535–554), Rimini was taken and retaken many times. Under Byzantine rule, it was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 728, it was taken with many other cities by Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735. Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter. The Tempietto di Sant'Antonio is a small, octagonal chapel dedicated to St Anthony of Padua The structure was initially built here in 1518 and rebuilt in Baroque style after the earthquake of 1672. Legend has the structure was constructed to honor a Eucharistic miracle at the site. The legend, known also as the "Miracle of the Mule", holds that, during the 13th century, St Anthony of Padua, after an impassioned public sermon, was distributing the blessed eucharist to faithful gathered in the piazza, when one citizen ignored him while walking along with his mule. The mule however miraculously and stubbornly sat prostrate in front of the saint.

The area was inhabited by Etruscans until the arrival of the Celts, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC the Roman Republic founded the colonia of Ariminum. The end of Roman rule was marked by the destruction caused by invasions and wars. When the Ostrogoths conquered Rimini in 493, Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the Gothic War (535–554), Rimini was taken and retaken many times. Under Byzantine rule, it was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 728, it was taken with many other cities by Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735. Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter. Fontana a pigna (Pinecone fountain ) is located on the Piazza Cavour in the center of the old town. Seen in the backdrop is the Vecchia Pescheria (prev. upload). A fountain existed here already in Roman times. As in many other cities, this well was the only source of drinking water in the city, it fulfilled this function until 1912, the year of the inauguration of the public aqueduct. The fountain seen today was completely renovated and rebuilt in 1543 by Giovanni da Carrara, after the damage caused in 1540 by the fireworks placed here to celebrate the Cardinal Legate Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte (the future pope Julius III). The renovation, commissioned by Pope Paul III on the occasion of his visit to the city in 1541 is still memorized by the inscription.

The area was inhabited by Etruscans until the arrival of the Celts, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC the Roman Republic founded the colonia of Ariminum. The end of Roman rule was marked by the destruction caused by invasions and wars. When the Ostrogoths conquered Rimini in 493, Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the Gothic War (535–554), Rimini was taken and retaken many times. Under Byzantine rule, it was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 728, it was taken with many other cities by Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735. Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter. The Vecchia Pescheria (old fish market) was built in 1747 according to the design of the local architect Giovana Francesco Buonamici, who as well designed the Duomo in Ravenna. It is a two-story open gallery with three arches. Inside there are two parallel rows of stone benches, which are used to display/sell the fish.

The area was inhabited by Etruscans until the arrival of the Celts, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC the Roman Republic founded the colonia of Ariminum. The end of Roman rule was marked by the destruction caused by invasions and wars. When the Ostrogoths conquered Rimini in 493, Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the Gothic War (535–554), Rimini was taken and retaken many times. Under Byzantine rule, it was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 728, it was taken with many other cities by Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735. Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter. The Vecchia Pescheria (old fish market) was built in 1747 according to the design of the local architect Giovana Francesco Buonamici, who as well designed the Duomo in Ravenna. It is a two-story open gallery with three arches. Inside there are two parallel rows of stone benches, which are used to display/sell the fish.

The area was inhabited by Etruscans until the arrival of the Celts, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC the Roman Republic founded the colonia of Ariminum. The end of Roman rule was marked by the destruction caused by invasions and wars. When the Ostrogoths conquered Rimini in 493, Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the Gothic War (535–554), Rimini was taken and retaken many times. Under Byzantine rule, it was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 728, it was taken with many other cities by Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735. Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter. The Tempio Malatestiano is the unfinished cathedral of Rimini. Officially named for St. Francis, it takes the popular name from Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, who commissioned its reconstruction by the famous Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti around 1450. Two elephants hide in the frieze on the facade of the church. They were carved around 1450 and are already very precise anatomically.

The area was inhabited by Etruscans until the arrival of the Celts, who held it from the 6th century BC until their defeat by the Umbri in 283 BC. In 268 BC the Roman Republic founded the colonia of Ariminum. The end of Roman rule was marked by the destruction caused by invasions and wars. When the Ostrogoths conquered Rimini in 493, Odoacer, besieged in Ravenna, had to capitulate. During the Gothic War (535–554), Rimini was taken and retaken many times. Under Byzantine rule, it was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 728, it was taken with many other cities by Liutprand, King of the Lombards but returned to the Byzantines about 735. Pepin the Short gave it to the Holy See, but during the wars of the popes and the Italian cities against the emperors, Rimini sided with the latter. The Tempio Malatestiano is the unfinished cathedral of Rimini. Officially named for St. Francis, it takes the popular name from Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, who commissioned its reconstruction by the famous Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti around 1450.