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MAUSOLEUM OF GALLA PLACIDIA
The sober exteriors of this world-wide known mausoleum belie wonderful Early-Christian mosaics. Galla Placidia was the Empress of the Western Roman Empire, and reigned in Ravenna from 425 to 450 A. D. This small building hosts the most ancient mosaics in town (dating back to the beginning of the V century), and it’s considered a sort of “magical casket”.
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NEONIAN BAPTISTRY
Also known as the Baptistry of the Cathedral, or the Orthodox Baptistry, it’s the most ancient remaining religious monument of Ravenna. It dates back to the beginning of the V century, when Ravenna was the Capital of the Western Roman Empire and hosts wonderful mosaics, such as those depicting the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan.
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BASILICA OF S. APOLLINARE NUOVO
The Palatine Chapel, erected by order of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric at the beginning of the VI century and dedicated to Jesus Christ the Saviour hosts the largest wall mosaics to reach us from ancient times.
After the Byzantine army conquered the town, the Basilica was reconsecrated by the bishop Agnello to the Catholic cult and its mosaics were modified in order to destroy all the images contrasting with the official religion. This “purification” is still visible to the naked eye.
Among its mosaics we can remember the panels with the port of Classe and Theodoric’s Imperial Palace, the solemn processions of the Virgins and Martyrs, and the Three Wise men.
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ARIAN BAPTISTRY
Built by the arian King Theodoric at the beginning of the VI century for his people, the Baptistry has an octagonal plant, like the catholic baptistry, and stands next to the ancient arian Cathedral, the Church of the Holy Spirit.
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THEODORIC’S MAUSOLEUM
It’s the tomb of the Ostrogothic king, who reigned in Ravenna from 493 to 526 A. D. Entirely made of white, squared blocks of istrian stone, it’s surmounted by a monolith of enormous dimensions.
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BASILICA OF S. APOLLINARE IN CLASSE
The Basilica was erected on the ancient burial site of S. Apollinare, Ravenna’s first bishop. It hosts beautiful mosaics, such as the simbolic representation of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor.
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DANTE’S TOMB
The “Divin Poeta” died in Ravenna on the night between the 13th and 14th September 1321. Now his remains rest in this small temple, built in neo-classic style by the local architect Camillo Morigia at the end of the XVIII century.
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BASILICA AND CRYPT OF S. FRANCESCO
The importance of this church is due to the fact that Dante’s funeral took place here in 1321. The basilica, that houses the famous crypt under its presbitery, was built towards the end of the X century. The crypt is always flooded by water, because of the natural phenomenon of subsidence, typical of Ravenna. Its floor mosaics date back to the V century, and were part of the presbitery of an ancient placidian basilica, the Basilica Apostolorum.
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BASILICA OF S. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
Walking along the naves of this ancient placidian basilica you can admire many fragments of floor mosaics from different ages, from V century to the Middle Ages. The latest ones witness the complex, lively cultural atmosphere of that time, with its simple scenes from the IV Crusade, or from sacred traditions and popular legends.
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RAVENNA’S ART MUSEUM-LOGGETTA LOMBARDESCA
This ancient Monastery now hosts the town picture gallery. In the old cellas and along its corridors, we can now admire paintings of different periods, and the legendary sepulcral statue of Guidarello Guidarelli, sculptured by Tullio Lombardo in 1525.
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DOMUS OF STONE CARPETS
This new archaeological site, inaugurated by the Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in october 2002, hosts the floor mosaics found during the excavation works in Via D’Azeglio between 1993 and 1995.
Walking along the corridors of this private palazzetto, we can admire its perfectly preserved mosaics, such as the Dance of the Genius of the Seasons, made with figurative and polychrome technique, and developed through a remarkable musive process. This is a discovery of exceptional importance, because it allows us to know more about the everyday-life of rich peole of that time.
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CHURCH OF SAN NICOLO'
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THE CATHEDRAL
It was built by the architect Buonamici from Rimini in baroque style in 1737 on the site of the ancient cathedral, the Basilica of Ursus. It hosts beuatiful sarcophagi of the V century, the ambo of the bishop Agnello and beautiful paintings of Guido Reni from Bologna.
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CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Built by Theodoric at the beginning of the VI century, it was the ancient arian cathedral, maybe dedicated to the Resurrection of God (Hagia Anastasis). Unfortunately, little remains of its original mosaic decoration.
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NATIONAL MUSEUM
The Museum, placed in the cloisters and cellas of the ancient Monastery of S. Vitale, boasts remarquable collections of roman, early-christian, bizantine and medieval art.
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SO-CALLED THEODORIC’S PALACE
What we call Theodoric’s Palace is the narthex of a medieval church, St. Saviour ad Calchi. This name may suggest that this was the Chalké, which is the main entrance of the imperial Palace, seat of political power when Ravenna became Capital of the Western Roman Empire.
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