Jaw dropping, that’s what they were, the mosaics in Ravenna, seat of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century and later the westernmost outpost of the Byzantine empire. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its stunning variety of early Christian mosaics and monuments. We had to see it. We traveled there by train from Bologna.
An hour and a half later we met our local guide and began our tour of the city. Our first stop was the Sant’Apollinaire Church, built in the 5th century as a Gothic baptistry where we saw mosaics representing scenes from the Old Testament as well as depictions of the Byzantine emporer Justinian.
Our next stop was the tomb of Dante. No, he is not in Florence, as some claim. His tomb is very popular.
The Mausoleum of Gaila Placidia is small and very dark. It is so small that only fifteen people were allowed in at a time, and we were allowed only five minutes to drink in the beauty of this spot.
Next door was the Basilica of San Vitale, where mosaics mixed with frescos, giving a variety of textures to this massive structure. My first feeling when entering this huge space was the realization of how insignificant and transitory we humans are. It was a mind boggling and jaw-droppingly overpowering experience.
It is impossible to capture the immense beauty and skill of this work in photography. You have to be there. I hope some day you will.
We had lunch in a local restaurant and visited a modern day mosaic artist, whose unique and creative work is in demand today. It’s encouraging to know that this ancient art has not disappeared.
We took the train back in the late afternoon after a long, fulfilling day.