Art and Culture

Strolling around Ravenna is an opportunity to see bizarre round bell-towers mirrored by the Candiano canal, some lovely cloisters and tall belfries. Unfortunately, however, it would take a lifetime to see all the beautiful things in Ravenna, so it is probably a good idea not to wander about too long and make sure you see the main sights.

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Ravenna is the very symbol of the fusion between the West and the East (the Byzantines came from the Bosporus). This fusion left a very tangible heritage: Ravenna has the world’s richest and most well-known examples of ancient and Early Christian mosaics dating from the 5th and 6th century AD, all within a few hundred square yards. Not to mention that, with its 35 km-long coasts (over 20 miles), it also offers the beauty of the Adriatic sea. What makes the mosaics in Ravenna so different from those in Rome and Venice is that their tesserae are different from one another, so that the final result doesn’t seem two-dimensional.

The Byzantines used a variety of shaped tesserae made from materials such as gold and mother-of-pearl, and laid them unevenly. As a result, the surface of the mosaics reflects light irregularly, with effects that change as you move about the room. Subjects span from Biblical figures to kings, saints, sages and emperors, such as the powerful empress Theodora, an extremely beautiful woman of humble origin: one can still see her in the Basilica of San Vitale, next to Emperor Justinian.

Another famous subject is the solemn portrait of Saint Apollinare in the church that bears the same name. Also famous is the lovely starry sky in the small mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Leaving these magical places can be almost painful. But Ravenna is full of other marvels, such as the palaces where Lord Byron used to meet some of his lovers, or the parts of town where Dante Alighieri lived for the last years of his life. Dante, the father of Italian language and poetry, was buried here and the local theatre was named after him.

Next to his tomb and the Franciscan cloister you will find the church of San Francesco, whose crypt (which is below sea level) is permanently flooded and can only be seen through glass. With its mosaic floor and slender columns, it looks like a small swimming pool. For those who like archaeology, the splendid Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (Roman house of “stone carpets”) and the Domus del Triclinio (Roman house of the triclinium) are must-sees. And if you haven’t had enough of art yet, try the MAR (Museo d’arte di Ravenna) art museum. Ravenna also caters for music lovers, with prestigious live shows at the annual Ravenna Festival.

INFO

Basilica di San Vitale e Mausoleo di Galla Placidia
Tel. +39 0544 215 193
www.ravennamosaici.it

Basilica di Sant’Apollinare in Classe
Tel. +39 0544 473 661

IAT Classe
Tel. +39 0544 473 661
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Mauseleo di Teodorico
Tel. +39 0544 451 539
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Teatro Alighieri
Tel. +39 0544 249 244, Fax +39 0544 215 840
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Museo Arcivescovile
Tel. +39 0544 215 201
www.ravennamosaici.it

IAT Ravenna
Tel. +39 0544 354 04, Fax +39 0544 350 94
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