Thursday October 15 was yet another beautiful sunny day. High of 23C. We headed out to Bologna Centrale Train Station to catch a mid-morning train to Ravenna. Another day trip!
En route we passed the Camera Confederale del Lavoro (General Confederation of Labour building). Interestingly, the building opened in 1940 as the Casa del Contadino (Farmers House) built for the National Fascist Agricultural Corporation. The facade features prominent bas-relief panels by sculptor Farpi Vignoli (1907-1997) illustrating rural life. Following the liberation of Bologna in April 1945, the Confederation of Labour took over the building as compensation for the destruction of the old labour headquarters. |
| Camera Confederale del Lavoro with 1940 bas-reliefs |
It was about an hour and fifteen minute train trip to Ravenna.
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| Arriving at Ravenna Train Station |
Between the 5th and 8th century, Ravenna was the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the Gothic Kingdom of Theoderic and the Byzantine Empire. There are incredible mosaics in a number of churches from that period. In 1996, eight early Christian and Byzantine buildings were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
As well, Dante Alighieri wrote the final part of The Divine Comedy in Ravenna. Other poets, artists and travellers took inspiration from their travels in Ravenna, such as George Byron, Gustav Klimt, and Dario Fo.
We headed to the Tourist Office to pick up some maps and find out where to get tickets to visit mosaic sites. We passed the beautiful Teatro Alighieri, the main opera house and cultural centre of Ravenna. It was built between 1840 and 1852 by two Venetian architects who also worked on La Fenice theatre in Venice.
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Teatro Alighieri
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| Side view. |
We passed Dante's Tomb, which was on our list. The Tomb of Dante is an Italian neoclassical national monument built over the tomb of the poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) in 1781.
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| Dante's Tomb |
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| One could take pictures from the entrance of the tomb--beautiful decorations added throughout the years. |
The tourist office told us that we could purchase a ticket to visit either two, four or five mosaic sites and that tickets were available at one of the sites a short distance away. We went to the ticket office and chose the ticket for four sites as the 5th site was a bit further out.
The first site we went to was the Neonian Baptistery, built by the bishop Orso in the 5th century. Mosaics were added 50 years later by the bishop Neone. The magnificent mosaic of the dome has a central scene: St. John the Baptist surrounded by the Apostles and a sequence of thrones and alters.
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| Outside of the Battistero Neoniano |
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The amazing dome
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| Detailed Alcoves |
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| Another view |
We then walked over to the Mausoleo di Galla Placidia ( Mausoleum of Galla Placidia ) which was built in 425-450 AD. The building is completely bare on the exterior and sumptuously decorated inside with marbles and mosaics. It contains some of the oldest mosaics in Ravenna. The building was commissioned by Empress Galla Placidia (392/93-450). Galla had received an advanced education. She was the daughter of the Roman emperor Theodosius I. She married Constantius III in 417 and had two children. Constantius III was elevated as co-emperor of the West in 421 by Honorius, who lacked an heir and Galla Placidia was made
augusta. Constantius III died the same year. In 425, her six-year old son Valentinian III took office as Augustus and Galla again became
augusta- she ruled as regent for her son for twelve years. While her influence waned, she remained powerful until she died in 450.
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| There was a timed entrance as it was very tiny inside. |
The mosaics were just incredible.
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The lower mosaic depicts a male saint carrying a cross accompanied by a burning gridiron and an opened cabinet containing the four canonical Gospels.
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| The building contains three sarcophagi. One is attributed to Galla's brother, the second to her husband and the third to her son. It had been thought that one sarcophagus contained the remains of Galla Placidia, but it later was established that her remains are in Rome. |
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| Second lunette-- Shows the starry sky as well as the Apostles |
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| Third side of the dome-- deer are drinking from a small lake |
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| Above the entrance portal is a mosaic depicting Christ as the Good Shepherd among his flock. |
I later read that the mausoleum is reputed to have inspired American songwriter Cole Porter to compose "Night and Day" while on a 1920s visit.
We walked over to the next site passing a number of sarcophagi.
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| Sarcophagus with lambs and rosettes (second half of 5th century AD) |
The next site just a few minutes away was the Basilica of San Vitale commissioned by Emperor Justinian with members of the Church of Ravenna. It was consecrated by Archbishop Maximian in 546-556 AD and is an extraordinary example of unity of mosaic art and architecture.
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| Outside of Basilica di S. Vitale |
This is one of the greatest masterpieces of early Byzantine art and architecture, which has inspired poets and travellers over the centuries.
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| Just awe-inspiring. |
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| Ceiling detail-- the Baroque frescoes on the dome were painted between 1778 and 1782. |
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| Very large Basilica covered in mosaics |
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| More detailed scenes- one on left is Emperor Justinian I with his retinue and Bishop Maximian; the scene in the semi-dome is Christ Pantocrator with St. Vitalis, two archangels and Bishop Ecclesius. |
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| The mosaic floor |
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| Beautiful architecture in the Basilica |
We decided to have lunch before heading to the fourth mosaic site, which was in a different direction.
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| Streets of Ravenna- another ancient tower |
We had read about a take-out spot to have piadina, a thin, traditional unleavened flatbread from the Romagna region of Emilia-Romagna. It is folded in half and stuffed with meats, or cheeses, fish or greens. It is recognised as a symbol of cucina povera (peasant cooking).
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| Outside of Profumo di piadina-- lots of choices- very busy place. |
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There were a few tables across from the take-out. Sari had buffalo mozzarella and tomato;
I had tuna, tomato and lettuce. Very filling. |
Our last stop on our mosaic tour was the Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo. It is the most important Arian building dating back to Theodoric's age, later converted to the Orthodox faith. It was built by the Gothic king next to his palace in the 6th century AD and it is a masterpiece.
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| Outside of the Basilica |
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| One wall with a procession of 26 martyrs. |
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| More detail-- depictions of prophets and saints standing between the windows. On the right side is a mosaic of the Palace of Theoderic. |
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Procession of 22 Virgins. I had said to Alonso that the womens' gold robes looked like Gustav Klimt's Lady in Gold painting. It turns out Klimt had visited this Basilica and was influenced by these mosaics.
At the far left is a mosaic of Classe, the ancient port of Ravenna. |
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| Virgins led by the Three Magi moving towards the Madonna and Child who are surrounded by four angels. The Three Wise Men are wearing trousers and caps as a sign of their Oriental origin. |
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| The Magi in this mosaic are named Balthasar, Melchior and Gaspar- this is thought to be the earliest example of these three names being assigned to the Magi in Christian art. |
When UNESCO inscribed the church on the World Heritage List, it was pointed out that "both the exterior and interior of the basilica graphically illustrate the fusion between the western and eastern styles characteristic of the late 5th to early 6th century.'
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