This church, named by local inhabitants after the painting of Santa Rita that is venerated here, was built in its present form by the Lateran Canons Regular, who came here in 1464. The new incumbents of the church were also responsible for building a new road linking the ecclesiastical complex to the city centre.
Traces of the previous 13th-century building can still be seen outside the present church, which used to have a monastery next to it. The monastery was built around a cloister that was damaged by bombs in the Second World War, but several sections from the 15th century still remain.
The church has several fine works from the late 1500's, including scenes from the life of St Marinus painted on canvas by the Marche artist Giorgio Picchi, and also in the frescoes of the ceiling vaults, attributed to Picchi himself or to Bartolomeo Cesi of Bologna, and a St Michael the Archangel Defeats a Demon by Rimini-born Giovanni Laurentini, known as "l'Arrigoni". The wooden crucifix above one of the side altars is attributed to a German sculptor of the early 1500's.
The group of Baroque plasterwork figures by Antonio Trentanove commemorates the visit of Pope Pius VI to Rimini in 1764.
The splendid inlaid wooden choir stalls from the late 15th century were made by craftsmen from Venice or Modena. The rear panels of the 22 seats, arranged in two rows, show views of a town, perhaps Rimini in the same period, and delightful still-lifes.
Are you a local? What do you think about Church of the SS. Bartholomew and Marino (S. Rita)?
Login to suggest it!