The Ravenna's Mosaics
Historically, Ravenna was an important part of western civilization in the 5th and 6th centuries. It served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire during that time and as the centre of the Ostrogoth empire. Each reign left the city with exquisite mosaics that have become a treasure centuries later. From early Christian buildings to Mausoleums, all harbour mosaics of Ostrogoth and Byzantine influence. Particularly the Galla Placidia Mausoleum, the Arian Baptistery and the Church of San Vitale. These three are the highlights of the city, and they cumulatively showcase three hundred years of magnificent mosaics.
Take a tour around the majestic Basilica di San Vitale built in the heart of the 6th century with mosaics commissioned by the Archbishop Maximian, the Mausoleo di Galla Placidia with its three sarcophagi and mosaic-covered interior. Here the ceiling is decorated with tiles representing blue skies and hundreds of stars, and the structure is shaped like a Greek cross. There's also the Battistero Neoniano, Ravenna's oldest monument dating back to the 4th century. The mosaics here feature John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan.
Ravenna is a delight to the senses; walk along the sunny streets with elegant palazzos, majestic domes, old churches, Baroque and medieval buildings that have stood the test of time and managed to preserve their original beauty through Fascism and the Nazi occupation.
