After the sermons of S. Peter Martyr a church bearing his name was built here. Later, between 1706 and 1722, the architect F. Zondini used his project for the church we see today. After Napoleon, the priest Domenico Bazzocchi gathered here many of the paintings scattered around the town. For that reason S. Domenico church contains such a number of paintings to be defined 'second pinacotheque'. Among them, some works by the local artists C. Serra and C. Savolini (XVII century).

In the place where the church is located, St Peter Mart. predicated around 1252, just before his death. The news of a new church and of a convent of Domenican friars dates back to 1279, later completely rebuilt (1497-98).

At the end of 1600's this new church had to be rebuilt again, because of problems of static, and the erection of a new one (project by Giovanni Francesco Zondini) brought to the present building. The works lasted from 1707 to 1727, even if the consecration had taken place in 1722.

The Napoleonic suppressions did not even spare the Domenican convent, which was turned into an orphanage (until 1811). Here don Domenico Bazzocchi, parish of the church, managed to buy, recover and keep in order a number of paintings which ran the risk to be stolen or broken. So the church became a sort of "second pinacotheque", mostly as far as the 1600's in Cesena is concerned (with a lot of works by Cristoforo Serra, Cristoforo Savolini and Giovan Battista Razzani). After the orphanage, the former convent hosted one of the biggest hospitals of Cesena and, since 1911, it has been seat of a school.

The exterior of the church is imposing and sober, whereas the interior is bright and decorated in baroque style. The shape is longitudinal, with one nave and three chapels for each side, and semicircular apse.
The hugely rich collection of paintings begins in the counterfacade with the Miracolo di Sant'Aldebrando (Cristoforo Serra and Andrea Mainardi, 1678) and the Sant’Ubaldo libera un ossesso (Cristoforo Serra, 1629 ca.) The first right chapel shows Il miracolo di S. Donnino alla presenza dei Santi Carlo Borromeo ed Apollonia (Cristoforo Savolini, 1671), masterpiece of the Cesenate artist; beside, small bas-relief representing the Madonna della Neve and, on the pilaster, Annunciazione (G. B. Razzani, 1640 ca.) In the second chapel, Madonna del Latte (XV cent.), with I misteri del Rosario (Francesco Andreini, 1725), a S. Pellegrino Laziosi risana un cieco (Francesco Mancini, 1720-30 ca.) and a Madonna col Bambino e i santi Francesco, Girolamo, Giovanni Battista e Caterina d'Alessandria (G. F. Modigliani, post. 1602). The third chapel hosts a wooden crucifix of the late 1500's, an Eterno Padre (?) (XVIII cent.), Cristo confortato dalla Veronica (Andreini, XVIII cent.), Il compianto su Cristo deposto (XVI cent.) and a Cristo nell’orto confortato dagli angeli (XVIII cent.) The right side-door has above La Vergine col Bambino e i Santi Anna, Francesco di Sales (Felice Torelli, 1716-17) (the S. Carlo Borromeo was added by Milani). The presbitery hosts the organ (XVII cent.), while the altar dates back to 1846, with choir (1722). The apse is rich in paintings: from left, Adorazione della Croce con Costantino e S. Elena (Ascanio Foschi, 1629), Adorazione dei pastori (F. Fenzoni, 1623 ca.), Adorazione dei magi (P. P. Menzocchi, 1573?), in the centre; Riposo nella fuga in Egitto (F. Fenzoni, XVII cent.); Consegna delle chiavi (G. B. Razzani, 1628). The right side-door, on the way to the sacresty, shows a Crocifissione by Francesco Menzocchi (second 1500's). The third left chapel hosts Il martirio di S. Pietro da Verona (S. Sacco, 1545), a Santo vescovo e martire (C. Serra, 1665 ca.), above; a Madonna del Rosario con S. Domenico e supplici (Giuseppe Cesari called Cavalier D’Arpino, 1601 ca.); an Assunzione della Vergine (anonymous of Bologna, XVII-XVIII cent.); the pulpit dates back to 1733. The second chapel has a S. Domenico in gloria by F. Andreini (XVIII cent.), Cristo in pietà (Biagio d’Antonio da Firenze, end of 1400's); S. Bartolomeo + S. Giovanni Evangelista (G. B. Razzani, 1635 ca.) + S. Paolo and Cristo benedicente (C. Serra, 1635 ca.); S. Martino dona il mantello al povero (Arcangelo Resani, XVII cent.); Ss. Andrea (C. Serra, 1635 ca.) and Giacomo (G. B. Razzani, 1635 ca.) The second pilaster hosts a Cena di Emmaus (anonymous of XVIII cent.), whereas the last chapel a S. Vincezo Ferreri (F. Andreini, 1731).