Marecchia

{{Infobox river

| name = Marecchia

| image = LocationMarecchiaRiver.png

| image_caption =

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 8

| source1_location = Monte dei Frati in the Province of Arezzo

| mouth = Adriatic Sea

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|44.0763|12.5634|display=it|region:IT_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}

| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Italy

| length = {{convert|70|km|0|abbr=on}}

| source1_elevation = {{convert|1,454|m|abbr=on}}

| discharge1_avg = {{convert|10.8|m3/s|abbr=on}} (at Pietracuta)

| basin_size = {{convert|941|km2|0|abbr=on}}

| extra =

}}

File:Tiberius-Brücke.JPG crosses the Marecchia's former route in Rimini]]

The Marecchia ({{IPA|it|maˈrekkja|pron}}) is a river in eastern Italy, flowing from near Monte dei Frati in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, to the Adriatic Sea in Rimini, Emilia-Romagna. Along its course, the river passes next to or near the settlements of Novafeltria, Verucchio, and Santarcangelo di Romagna. It passes near the Republic of San Marino. Among its tributaries are the San Marino river and the Ausa.

The river's valley, known as the Valmarecchia, is on the border of the historic regions of Romagna and Montefeltro. On 15 August 2009, the {{Lang|it|comuni}} of the upper valley transferred from the province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the Marche region, to the province of Rimini in Emilia-Romagna.{{Cite web |date=3 August 2009 |title=Legge 3 agosto 2009, n. 117 |trans-title=Law of 3 August 2009, no. 117 |url=https://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/09117l.htm |access-date=2 January 2024 |website=Italian Parliament |language=it-IT}}

Route

The source of the river is near Monte dei Frati, east of Pieve Santo Stefano and southwest of Badia Tedalda in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany. Flowing northeast, it includes the settlement of Novafeltria on its left bank, and receives the Torrente Mazzocco on its right bank. It flows near Pietracuta, after which it receives the San Marino river on its right bank, by the settlement of Torello. Continuing northeast, the river flows near Verucchio and Santarcangelo di Romagna, after which it flows east parallel to the Via Aemilia, emptying into the Adriatic Sea in Rimini.{{cite book |title=Hammond World Atlas |publisher=Hammond World Atlas Corporation |year=2010 |isbn=9780843715606 |edition=6 |page=69}}{{cite book |title=The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World |publisher=Times Books |year=2011 |isbn=9780007419135 |edition=13 |location=London |page=76 N7}}

The river marks the boundary of several {{Lang|it|comuni}}, including Casteldelci and Sestino in the province of Arezzo, and Sant'Agata Feltria, Pennabilli, Novafeltria, Maiolo, Talamello, San Leo, Poggio Torriana, and Verucchio in the province of Rimini, Emilia-Romagna. It passes through an exclave of Badia Tedalda, surrounded by the province of Rimini, and the {{Lang|it|comune}} of Santarcangelo di Romagna.

History

The river was anciently called the {{Lang|it|Ariminus}}.{{cite book |title=Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World: Map-By-Map Directory |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2000 |isbn=0691049459 |editor=Richard J.A. Talbert |volume=I |location=Princeton, NJ and Oxford, UK |page=589}}

While on his way to fight the Gothic army, the Byzantine general Narses crossed the Marecchia on a pontoon after the leader of the Goths contesting his passage of the river was killed in a skirmish.{{cite book |last=Santosuosso |first=Antonio |url=https://archive.org/details/barbariansmaraud0000sant |title=Barbarians, Marauders, and Infidels: The Ways of Medieval Warfare |publisher=MJF Books |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-56731-891-3 |location=New York, NY |page=[https://archive.org/details/barbariansmaraud0000sant/page/n54 33] |url-access=registration}} The mouth of the Marecchia is also the legendary site where Anthony of Padua allegedly preached to the fish.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the river numbered as many as 165 water mills around inhabited settlements. The valley also numbered several gunpowder mills to house sulphur mined in the sulphur mine at Perticara.{{Cite web |date=21 January 2022 |title=Novalfeltria, mostra per ritrovare i 165 mulini della Valmarecchia |trans-title=Novalfeltria: Exhibition to discover the 165 mills of Valmarecchia |url=https://archivio.chiamamicitta.it/novalfeltria-mostra-per-ritrovare-i-165-mulini-della-valmarecchia/ |access-date=4 February 2024 |website=Chiamamicitta |language=it-IT}}

From the end of the 1920s until 1931,{{Cite web |last=Conti |first=Enea |date=4 September 2021 |title=Rimini, il Ponte di Tiberio compie duemila anni: è fra quelli più belli del mondo |trans-title=Rimini's Ponte di Tiberio celebrates two hundred years: it's among the most beautiful in the world |url=https://corrieredibologna.corriere.it/bologna/cronaca/21_aprile_09/rimini-ponte-tiberio-compie-duemila-anni-quelli-piu-belli-mondo-13bde410-9904-11eb-87b6-c0f8c45d06f6.shtml |access-date=30 January 2024 |website=Corriere di Bologna |language=it-IT}}{{Cite web |last=Angelini |first=Manuela |date=4 October 2016 |title=Sotto il Ponte di Tiberio la storia scorre ancora |trans-title=Under the Ponte di Tiberio, history still flows |url=https://www.corriereromagna.it/rimini/news-cultura-spettacoli-19830-sotto-ponte-tiberio-storia-scorre-html-AICR32507 |access-date=30 January 2024 |website=Corriere Romagna |language=it-IT}} the Marecchia was diverted through Rimini to empty further north. On 8 April 1944, as part of the Fragheto massacre, seven partisans and a civilian were shot by members of the Venezia-Giulia Battalion of the National Republican Guard at the confluence of the Senatello stream with the Marecchia.{{Cite web |last=Susini |first=Daniele |title=Episodio di Fragheto Casteldelci 07.04.1944 |trans-title=Case of Fragheto Casteldelci 07.04.1944 |url=https://www.straginazifasciste.it/wp-content/uploads/schede/FRAGHETO%20CASTELDELCI%2007.04.1944.pdf |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=straginazifasciste.it |language=it-IT}}{{Cite web |last=Susini |first=Daniele |title=Episodio di Ponte 8 Martiri (Ponte Carrattoni), Rimini, 08.04.1944 |trans-title=Case of the Eight Martyrs Bridge (Carrattoni Bridge), Rimini, 08.04.1944 |url=https://www.straginazifasciste.it/wp-content/uploads/schede/PONTE%208%20MARTIRI%20(PONTE%20CARRATTONI),%20RIMINI,%2008.04.1944.pdf |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=straginazifasciste.it |language=it-IT}} The bridge over the Marecchia, at the time named Ponte Carrattoni, was renamed the Bridge of the Eight Martyrs ({{Lang|it|Ponte degli Otto Martiri}}).{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=6 April 2024 |title=7 aprile 1944 – 80 anni fa la strage di Fragheto |trans-title=7 April 1944 – 80 years ago, the Fragheto massacre |url=https://www.chiamamicitta.it/7-aprile-1944-80-anni-fa-la-strage-di-fragheto/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Chiamami Città |language=it-IT}}

From the 1960s, the Ausa was diverted to empty into the Marecchia, having previously emptied into the Adriatic Sea further east.{{cite web |title=Parco Ausa |trans-title=Ausa Park |url=https://www.ecomuseorimini.it/parco-ausa/ |access-date=14 March 2022 |publisher=Ecomuseo Rimini |language=it-IT}} The diversion was completed in 1972.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=7 August 2023 |title=7 agosto 1763 - La burrasca spazza via tutte le barche nel porto di Rimini |trans-title=7 August 1763 – The storm sweeps away all the boats in the port of Rimini |url=https://www.chiamamicitta.it/7-agosto-1763-bufera-distrugge-tutte-le-barche-nel-porto-rimini/ |access-date=3 January 2024 |website=Chiamami Città |language=it-IT}}

On 15 August 2009, the {{Lang|it|comuni}} of the upper valley transferred from the province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the Marche region, to the province of Rimini in Emilia-Romagna.

References

Category:Adriatic Italian coast basins

Category:Rivers of the Province of Arezzo

Category:Rivers of the Province of Pesaro and Urbino

Category:Rivers of the Province of Rimini

Category:Rivers of Italy