Cattolica
Cattolica (Italian: [katˈtɔːlika]; Romagnol: Catòlga) is a town and comune in the Province of Rimini, Italy, with 16,233 inhabitants as of 2007.[3]
Cattolica
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|---|---|
| Comune di Cattolica | |
 The Fountain of Sirens | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Cattolica 
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  Cattolica Location of Cattolica in Italy  Cattolica Cattolica (Emilia-Romagna) | |
| Coordinates: 43°58′N 12°44′E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Emilia-Romagna |
| Province | Rimini (RN) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mariano Gennari (Movimento 5 Stelle) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5 km2 (2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Population (30-06-2017)[2] | |
| • Total | 17,228 |
| • Density | 3,400/km2 (8,900/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Cattolichini |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 47841 |
| Dialing code | 0541 |
| Patron saint | St. Pius V |
| Saint day | 30 April |
| Website | Official website |
History
Archaeological excavations show that the area was already settled in Roman times.
Cattolica rose as a resting place for pilgrims who traveled the Bologna-Ancona-Rome route, on their way to the sanctuary of Loreto or to St. Peter's in Rome. In 1500 it counted more than twenty taverns and inns. Only from the second half of the 19th century did the fishing industry became relevant in the economy of the town.
One of the first notable visitors to Cattolica's beach was Lucien Bonaparte, brother of the French Emperor, who preferred it to noisy Rimini, in 1823. The town became an independent commune in 1896.
After the end of World War I the tourism industry became predominant.
Main sights
- Church of San Apollinare (13th century)
- Torre Malatestiana (Malatesta tower) (1490)
- Museo della Regina di Cattolica archaeological museum
- S. Croce Gallery (16th century)
- Watchtower (now included in a closed disco)
- Le Navi, Aquarium of Cattolica
People
- Cesare Pronti (1626–1708), painter
- Emilio Filippini (1870–1938), painter
- Guido Morganti (1891–1954), Righteous Among the Nations
- Egidio Renzi (1900–1944), martyr of Fosse Ardeatine
- Domenico Rasi (1924–1944), patriot
- Vanzio Spinelli (1924–1944), patriot
- Giuseppe Ricci,(1890-1972) politician
- Enrico Molari, motorcycle racer
- Giovanna Filippini, politician
- Eraldo Pecci, (1955) footballer
- Alberta Ferretti (1950), fashion designer
- Umberto Paolucci (1944), Director of Microsoft Europe
- Vincenzo Cecchini (1934), painter
- Samuele Bersani (1970), singer
- Guido Paolucci (1932-2006), doctor
- Gianluca Magi, writer
- Marco Simoncelli (1987–2011), motorcycle racer
- Giampiero Ticchi (1959), basketball coach
- Andrea Cinciarini, basketball player
- Luca Leardini, pilot
- Niccolò Antonelli, motorcycle racer
- Mauro Piani (1959), yachtsman Azzurra
International relations
Cattolica is twinned with:
Events
- The feast of Stella Maris: fishing vessels and vongolaie leads in the midst of the sea, the statue of the Virgin Mary "Stella Maris", after a religious procession.
- The Festival of the flowers: since 1950s, Cattolica hosts a show of flower markets with many stalls along the streets of the city.
- The Pink Night, celebrated in town along the coast from Cattolica to Bellaria. It is a festival which is celebrated in June–July and is quite recent: the opportunity for all the shops, bars and restaurants adorn the premises of pink, with dancing to the beach and dive into the sea at midnight.
- The Fair of the ancient flavors of land and sea, with local wine tasting acoompagnate animations and concerts.
- International Mystery Film Festival of Cattolica (known in Italian as Festival internazionale del giallo e del mistero di Cattolica but internationally mostly known by its commonly used abbreviation "MystFest" (it).
References
- "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- "The World Gazetteer". Archived from the original on 2013-01-05. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
