At the southern end of Corso di Augusto, Rimini’s main street, stands northern Italy’s oldest known Roman triumphal arch, built in 27 BC to commemorate the construction of the Via Flaminia.

Part of a ring of defensive walls that were torn down in the 1930s, the arch is unusual in that its extra-wide opening cannot be closed by doors, signifying the newly achieved peace after a long period of wars. The crenelated top is a medieval addition, replacing a crown that was probably topped by a statue of Caesar Augustus, whom the arch honored.