Cesenatico
The origin of the historic centre dates back to the Middle Ages, more precisely to 1302, year in which the city of Cesena, wanting to have an issue on the sea for its commerce, began to dig the canal harbour and built a fortess to defend it. This proved to be a necessary precaution because, during the two successive centuries, the port, which had a strategic importance both from the commercial an the military point of view, was the cause of frequent fights between lords. As a consequence, it was buried and destroyed many times. The harbour of Cesenatico was under the rule of Cesena during the Malatesta age; during the short parenthesis of “Duca Valentino” Cesare Borgia’s domination, the port was the object of Leonardo da Vinci’s attention. During the XIX century fishing became the main activity, also thanks to some families from Chioggia, who came to live in Cesenatico with their typical fishing boats, called bragozzi.
Leonardesque Canal Harbour
The canal harbour, dug at the beginning of the XIV century, has underwent many interventions by hydraulic engineers, among which Leonardo da Vinci, who accurately analysed it and also made a drawing in 1502 on commission of Cesare Borgia, who wanted to enhance and fortify it. Around the canal harbour, the town of Cesenatico developed with the fishermen’s houses and the storehouses for goods. In the heart of Cesenatico’s historic center, the Leonardesque canal harbour is like a living museum with many things to see and a firm, qualified offer by cultural associations situated on its quay: The Seamanship Museum, Casa Moretti an the Communal Antiquarium. In the most recent, nearest to sea stretch, there are the Port Vinciane, a modern construction based on the model of projects by Leonardo, defendig the town from stormy sea.
Giuseppe Garibaldi
On the 2nd of August 1849, Garibaldi embarked towards besieged Venice from Cesenatico, together with his wife Anita and other compatriots. This event became afterwards a sort of “founding legend” for the city’s new identity, after the unification of Italy. The piazza Pisacane is dedicated to Garibaldi with his monument.
Seamanship Museum
It has its seat in the most ancient and characteristic part of the harbour an it is unique in Italy. Here 10 traditional boats from the upper and medium Adriatic Sea are exposed. They have been restored and re-armed according to their original function, with their coloured lug sails, decorated with the symbols of the fishers families, and with the characteristic “eyes” on the prow, which according to popular beliefs, had an important propitiatory function.
Communal Antiquarium
Adjacent of the earth section of the Seamanship Museum, it keeps statues, terracotta fragments, pottery (lamps, vases, plates), weights and coins dating back to the Roman Age. A room is dedicated to the Fortness and to the Praetorial Tower, two fortifications, which were erected to protect the harbour, now completely destroyed.
Piazzetta delle Conserve
The “Conserve” or Ice Houses are trunkconic.shaped wells, which are about 6 meters deep and with an about 8-metre entrance. These wells, filled with ice or snow, had the function of preserving fish and foodstuffs.
Casa Moretti
The house in which the famous writer and poet Marino Moretti was born is now a museum-house where original furniture of that time, books an manuscripts are kept.
Marco Pantani
Spazio Pantani was born from the will of the Pantani family, of the Comune of Cesenatico and of the Marco Pantani Foundation of making something to keep the memory of the champion and of his achievements alive. Inside it, it is possible to retrace the career of the “Pirata” through the exhibition of pictures, trophies and audiovisuals.