HISTORY OF RICCIONE
How was Riccione born?
The first archaeological finds of Riccione are found in the City Museum and date back to the 2nd century BC. In Roman times, the first settlement was in the San Lorenzo district.
Today we find the archaeological site that can be visited (open excavation under the pharmacy), whose name is "Vicus Popilius".
The Roman bridge over the Rio Melo is a short distance from there.
Castle of the Agolanti
In 1260 the Florentine family of the Agolanti settled in Riccione, of which the remains of the homonymous castle on the hills of Riccione remain.
History of the marine colonies in Rimini and Romagna
The bathing area called "Colonia", was an old building that was used as a boarding school. In the summer, it housed children in need of effective marine treatment for some forms of rickets.
In the 1800s a project was carried out, the idea was to transform the coastal area for tourism purposes. The audacious and inexperienced inhabitants of Riccione (who thanks to sacrifices and bills of exchange) built their houses and businesses with a great will to do and continuously improve themselves, to satisfy the needs of "foreigners", who have always recognized and continue to appreciate our hospitality and friendliness.
At the beginning of the 1900s, more than five thousand tourists from Emilia, Lombardy and Veneto came to spend the summer holidays and began to build houses, villas, seaside camps for children and spas.
The Rimini - Novafeltria railway was completed on 18 June 1922
Riccione - The statue of Ceccarini in the underpass
The development of the city is largely due to the Ceccarini family, especially to his wife Maria Boorman Wheeler, American and widow of her doctor husband, who made an important economic contribution to the construction of the hospital and other important social initiatives.
On October 9, 2012, a statue was dedicated to her in viale Ceccarini, created by the sculptor Leonardo Lucch.
August 16, 1916 - the Rimini earthquake that devastated Romagna
During the First World War, Riccione suffered a strong earthquake swarm that devastated the city.
Municipality of Riccione: birth and fascism
The inhabitants of Riccione fought from 1907 to 1922, with the support of the Duce, to no longer be subjects of the Municipality of Rimini which feared tourist competition. Until 1922, Riccione was a fraction of the Municipality of Rimini, 10km away. In order to become a Municipality, at least 4,000 inhabitants were needed. In 1921 Riccione had over 5,000 inhabitants.
Riccione obtained the recognition of "Care and stay station" in 1926. The Mussolini family decided to move from Cattolica to Riccione for their holidays. Riccione, born as a municipality thanks to a fascist provision, was considered more suitable for the ideas of the regime, becoming its summer residence for ten years.
Innovations
The Rimini-Riccione electric tram line was inaugurated in 1927. The first connections to the gas, water and electricity networks were made in the 1930s. The Romagna Riviera was the beach of the wealthiest Italians and their Duce.
Riccione was shown by the films of the regime, with sports initiatives, tennis, sailing, motorcycling, pigeon shooting competitions, which are part of the fascist culture.
The civil airport of Miramare di Rimini was inaugurated in 1928 and the "Grand Hotel of Riccione owned by Gaetano Ceschina in 1929, was the grandest hotel on the Romagna Riviera with 155 rooms, 265 beds, 25 en-suite bathrooms, 3 tennis, miniature golf, telephone and garage.
The first Palazzo del Turismo on the Adriatic coast was inaugurated in 1938 and the Luce newsreel named Riccione "one of the most beautiful and popular beaches in Italy".
In the 1930s, accommodation facilities, boarding houses and hotels outnumbered private accommodation. On 10 June 1944 there was the first air raid on Riccione during World War II. The Allies caused more damage than the Germans.
Over the years, Riccione became one of the major "fashionable" locations in Italy, becoming the meeting point of the "beautiful society", hosting the best national and international artists in its premises.
A hurricane hit the Romagna coast from Cesenatico to Cattolica on June 8, 1964
The hurricane ended only around 10 pm, causing damage of about two billion lire, unfortunately there were also some dead. The next day, the German tourists went to the beach to help the lifeguards, who gave them big discounts to thank them when they left.
Since 1965, the lifeguards of Riccione have organized the lifeguard party on June 8, in honor of the guests who helped and who were close to us in those terrible moments.
The statue of the "Madonna del Mare" protects the fishermen who have been sailing from the port of Riccione for years.
The first archaeological finds of Riccione are found in the City Museum and date back to the 2nd century BC. In Roman times, the first settlement was in the San Lorenzo district.
Today we find the archaeological site that can be visited (open excavation under the pharmacy), whose name is "Vicus Popilius".
The Roman bridge over the Rio Melo is a short distance from there.
Castle of the Agolanti
In 1260 the Florentine family of the Agolanti settled in Riccione, of which the remains of the homonymous castle on the hills of Riccione remain.
History of the marine colonies in Rimini and Romagna
The bathing area called "Colonia", was an old building that was used as a boarding school. In the summer, it housed children in need of effective marine treatment for some forms of rickets.
In the 1800s a project was carried out, the idea was to transform the coastal area for tourism purposes. The audacious and inexperienced inhabitants of Riccione (who thanks to sacrifices and bills of exchange) built their houses and businesses with a great will to do and continuously improve themselves, to satisfy the needs of "foreigners", who have always recognized and continue to appreciate our hospitality and friendliness.
At the beginning of the 1900s, more than five thousand tourists from Emilia, Lombardy and Veneto came to spend the summer holidays and began to build houses, villas, seaside camps for children and spas.
The Rimini - Novafeltria railway was completed on 18 June 1922
Riccione - The statue of Ceccarini in the underpass
The development of the city is largely due to the Ceccarini family, especially to his wife Maria Boorman Wheeler, American and widow of her doctor husband, who made an important economic contribution to the construction of the hospital and other important social initiatives.
On October 9, 2012, a statue was dedicated to her in viale Ceccarini, created by the sculptor Leonardo Lucch.
August 16, 1916 - the Rimini earthquake that devastated Romagna
During the First World War, Riccione suffered a strong earthquake swarm that devastated the city.
Municipality of Riccione: birth and fascism
The inhabitants of Riccione fought from 1907 to 1922, with the support of the Duce, to no longer be subjects of the Municipality of Rimini which feared tourist competition. Until 1922, Riccione was a fraction of the Municipality of Rimini, 10km away. In order to become a Municipality, at least 4,000 inhabitants were needed. In 1921 Riccione had over 5,000 inhabitants.
Riccione obtained the recognition of "Care and stay station" in 1926. The Mussolini family decided to move from Cattolica to Riccione for their holidays. Riccione, born as a municipality thanks to a fascist provision, was considered more suitable for the ideas of the regime, becoming its summer residence for ten years.
Innovations
The Rimini-Riccione electric tram line was inaugurated in 1927. The first connections to the gas, water and electricity networks were made in the 1930s. The Romagna Riviera was the beach of the wealthiest Italians and their Duce.
Riccione was shown by the films of the regime, with sports initiatives, tennis, sailing, motorcycling, pigeon shooting competitions, which are part of the fascist culture.
The civil airport of Miramare di Rimini was inaugurated in 1928 and the "Grand Hotel of Riccione owned by Gaetano Ceschina in 1929, was the grandest hotel on the Romagna Riviera with 155 rooms, 265 beds, 25 en-suite bathrooms, 3 tennis, miniature golf, telephone and garage.
The first Palazzo del Turismo on the Adriatic coast was inaugurated in 1938 and the Luce newsreel named Riccione "one of the most beautiful and popular beaches in Italy".
In the 1930s, accommodation facilities, boarding houses and hotels outnumbered private accommodation. On 10 June 1944 there was the first air raid on Riccione during World War II. The Allies caused more damage than the Germans.
Over the years, Riccione became one of the major "fashionable" locations in Italy, becoming the meeting point of the "beautiful society", hosting the best national and international artists in its premises.
A hurricane hit the Romagna coast from Cesenatico to Cattolica on June 8, 1964
The hurricane ended only around 10 pm, causing damage of about two billion lire, unfortunately there were also some dead. The next day, the German tourists went to the beach to help the lifeguards, who gave them big discounts to thank them when they left.
Since 1965, the lifeguards of Riccione have organized the lifeguard party on June 8, in honor of the guests who helped and who were close to us in those terrible moments.
The statue of the "Madonna del Mare" protects the fishermen who have been sailing from the port of Riccione for years.