Piazza dei Tre martiri is the ancient Roman forum of the city. Since the foundation of Ariminum in 268 B.C., the square has always played the role of Rimini’s political and commercial centre. The statue of Julius Caesar reminds us that this space was once dedicated to him. Today the square is dedicated to the three young partisans (Mario Capelli, Luigi Nicolò and Adelio Pagliarani) who were hanged by the Nazis on 16th August 1944. The place of the hanging is remembered by a marble slab slanting across the square and is located a few metres from the Tempietto dedicated to Sant’Antonio da Padova. The most photographed monument in the square is the Clock Tower built in 1547 with a dial showing the calendar, zodiac movements and moon phases. Piazza Tre Martiri is, together with Piazza Cavour, the centre of Rimini’s city life and an obligatory point of passage for every visit to the city. From the square you can see the Arch of Augustus, the oldest preserved in northern Italy. Built in 27 B.C. as a monumental gateway, it was the point from which people coming from the Flaminian Way entered the city. A statue of the emperor on horseback or on a quadriga must have been placed on the roof. Note the roundels with Jupiter and Apollo facing Rome and, on the other side, Neptune and the goddess Rome. A curiosity: the arch was so wide that it was impossible to insert doors in it. This size was meant to symbolize that with Augustus Rimini had nothing to fear.
