Tempio Malatestiano

Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini, had Leon Battista Alberti case an existing Gothic church in a new marble skin from around 1450, modelled on the Roman triumphal arch that still stands in the town, with deep side arches meant to hold sarcophagi. It was among the first buildings to apply classical architecture systematically to a church. The work stopped when Sigismondo's fortunes collapsed, and the facade is visibly incomplete, cut off above the entablature with brick showing. Inside are Agostino di Duccio's reliefs, a crucifix by Giotto and a fresco by Piero della Francesca. The tomb of Sigismondo's wife Isotta is here.

What you actually see

• Alberti's marble shell - a Roman-derived casing over a Gothic church.
• The unfinished facade - the front cut off in brick above the entablature.
• The Duccio reliefs - carved chapels of planets, arts and sibyls.
• The Giotto crucifix - an early panel hanging in the nave.

When to go

Year-round; the church closes during services and for a midday break. Rimini is busiest in summer when the coast fills, but the church rarely is.

Honest expectations

It is one building, seen in under an hour. The facade's incompleteness surprises people expecting a finished Renaissance front. Lighting inside is dim.

Nearby

The Roman arch and bridge are close; San Leo lies inland.