The Torre della Pedriera is an old coastal tower in Rimini, in the hamlet of Torre Pedrera, the northernmost of the municipality, which takes its name from it.
What to see
It was built in 1673 at the wish of the Papal States as part of the strengthening of the Adriatic coast's defences: it belonged to a network of lookout towers that made it possible to watch over the shoreline and quickly signal dangers coming from the sea, such as pirate raids. It was erected to defend Castrum Abbatis, an old fortified place in the area.
The name of the locality derives from the tower; as for «Pedrera», a recurring explanation links it to the stones and pebbles that inhabitants extracted from the nearby bed of the Marecchia river to build their houses, hence the name «Torre della Pedreira», later evolved into Torre Pedrera. For centuries the area had an agricultural and fishing economy, and only after the Second World War did it begin to develop as a seaside resort of the Romagna riviera, about seven kilometres from the centre of Rimini.
Visiting
The tower stands in the hamlet of Torre Pedrera, on via Apollonia, and is seen from the outside; any visits to the interior should be checked with the Comune.
Our editors' tip
Before heading to the beach, look for the tower: it is the origin of the name Torre Pedrera and a reminder that this coast, today given over to holidays, was for centuries a line to be defended against raids from the sea.
