Piazza del Popolo and Fontana Masini

Piazza del Popolo is Cesena's living room. At its centre stands the Fontana Masini, the symbol of the city: designed by the Cesena-born painter and architect Francesco Masini, sculpted by Domenico da Montevecchio and his assistants, it came into operation in 1591 after years of work to bring water into the city.

The fountain is a Mannerist masterpiece in Istrian stone, with a large octagonal basin, coloured marble inlays, putti, dolphins and grotesque masks. Around it, the people of Cesena have been meeting for four centuries.

The square is overlooked by Palazzo Albornoz, the former seat of the papal governor and now the town hall, the Loggetta Veneziana and the Torrione del Nuti: a covered passage once connected the palace to the Rocca Malatestiana, which dominates the square from the top of the Garampo hill.

The square is the ideal starting point for discovering Cesena: from here you can reach the Biblioteca Malatestiana, the cathedral, the Teatro Bonci and, climbing up, the fortress in just a few minutes. The tourist office is right on the square.