Ravenna, heritage of humanity

Ravenna - Ravenna is a provincial capital in Emilia Romagna. It has 151,000 inhabitants; city of water and land, it was chosen in 402 by the Emperor Honorius as the capital of the Western Roman Empire and for about two centuries it was at the center of the events that marked the history of Europe. In 1996, 8 religious buildings were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, of which 7 are embellished with wonderful mosaics dating back to the 5th-6th century.

According to tradition, the mausoleum of Galla Placidia is the tomb of the daughter of Theodosius the great, with the famous mosaic of Christ the Good Shepherd that surmounts the entrance. The Catholic baptistery commonly called Neoniano, from the name of the bishop Neone who in the mid-fifth century took care of its decoration with Roman-type mosaics still perfectly preserved, together with splendid marble stuccos. The Arian baptistery and the basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, places of Arian worship, the Gothic heresy that denied the divine nature of Jesus Christ, date back to the reign of Theodoric at the beginning of the sixth century. After the Byzantine victory the basilica was re-consecrated to Catholic worship. Also during Theodoric the archiepiscopal chapel was built around 500, also with splendid mosaics with a religious theme. But the true emblem of imperial power was the basilica of San Vitale, in whose apse the image of the imperial couple Justinian and Theodora dominates. The basilica was consecrated by Bishop Maximian in 547. It contains the most beautiful mosaic composition of all ancient Christian art. It was also Justinian who financed the construction of the basilica of Sant'Apollinare in classe, built in 549 just outside the center of Ravenna, on the site of the tomb of the first bishop of Ravenna.