Ravenna and the Byzantine flavor of Italy. Byzantine mosaics are equal

Like other Ravenna churches, the Church of San Vitale looks stern, ascetic. Its rough thick walls look like Adriatic mussel shells. The early Christians did not decorate their temples, saving all luxury for interior decoration. Mosaics of the 6th century have been preserved in the altar: Christ with Saints Vitalius and Ecclesias, scenes from the Old Testament and the famous pair composition - the solemn entrance of the imperial couple, Justinian and his wife Theodora, with their retinue.

Everything that is momentary, everything that is perishable,
You buried for centuries.
You sleep like a baby, Ravenna,
Sleepy eternity in the hands.

Slaves through Roman gates
They no longer import mosaics.
And the gilding burns
In the walls of cool basilicas.

From slow kisses of moisture
Softer than the rough vault of tombs,
Where the sarcophagi grow green
Holy monks and queens.

A. Blok

The figures have lost their volume, and with it their materiality. They have turned into flat silhouettes superimposed on the wall and seem weightless, incorporeal; bodies are not felt under the heavy folds of clothes. The faces are detached, strict, the gaze of the huge, intent eyes bewitches.

The Byzantine artist was called upon to capture not the momentary, but the eternal, not the mortal material shell, but the unchanging divine essence. This high spiritual concentration of art, unknown to antiquity, required renewal. artistic language. Therefore, everything changeable, illusory, concrete disappears from the mosaics. Movement is replaced by solemn stillness, volume is replaced by a clear contour, a strict rhythm of lines. Smooth color transitions are replaced by large color spots, and each color has a symbolic meaning. So, gold was considered the color of divinity, purple meant royalty, and blue was the color of nobility.

It would seem that there is no genre less close to Byzantine art than a portrait. And yet, one of the recognized pinnacles of early Byzantine art was precisely the mosaic portrait of Empress Theodora in the church of San Vitale. Of course, the image of Theodora cannot be called a portrait in the modern sense: the empress never visited her Italian possessions, and it is unlikely that the authors of the mosaic saw her. And in general, the idea of ​​conveying a portrait resemblance seemed blasphemous to the Byzantines. In the image of Theodora - her spiritual portrait - Byzantine masters embodied their ideas about beauty. The beautifully inspired thin face of the empress with huge mesmerizing eyes, her outfit is magnificent: pearls, rubies and emeralds adorn the headdress and mantle, the purple robe is woven with gold.

And what was in reality this woman in imperial purple with a halo of a saint around her head? The daughter of a circus keeper, dancer and courtesan, she began her career by performing at the hippodrome with a very bold number "Leda and the Swan". This number, which the actress came up with herself, is still a success in strip clubs to this day. In ancient myth, Zeus, wanting to take possession of Leda, took the form of a swan. Nude Theodora reclined on the stage, and her charms were sprinkled with barley grains. The "partner" of the actress - a large snow-white goose - pecked grains from the folds of her body, and it seemed to the audience that the bird was kissing the woman passionately.

Outwardly, the images seem frozen, motionless, almost incorporeal. But each of them has amazing energy. Huge, wide-open eyes are fixed on those who enter the temple, penetrating into the very soul. This is almost an icon, not a painting. Later, when in Byzantine, and then in Bulgarian, Serbian, Old Russian churches, all walls and pillars will be covered with frescoes or mosaic images, this effect will increase many times over. The stern gazes of the saints and the righteous pierce a person through and through, and there is nowhere to hide from the all-seeing and demanding eye - they see your good and your evil. “Truly, there is nothing hidden that would not be revealed…”

Emperor Justinian holds in his hands a large bowl with gold coins - a donation to the temple. Strict and majestic figures are equal in height. Justinian is distinguished by purple robes, contrasting with the white robes of the clergy, a crown and a halo around his head, like a saint. Bishop Maximian is holding a cross in his hands, the archdeacon is holding the Gospel, one of the deacons is holding a censer. There is clearly a portrait resemblance in the faces of Justinian and especially Bishop Maximian.

Empress Theodora surrounded by courtiers. She also holds a chalice with gold coins in her hands. On the hem of her purple cloak are embroidered figures of the three magi offering gifts to the Mother of God. There are luxurious necklaces around the neck and on the shoulders of the Empress. The head is crowned with long pearl pendants descending to the chest. Around the head, like Justinian's, is a halo. To the left of the Empress are court ladies in decorated precious stones tunics; on the right, a deacon and a eunuch opening the veil.

The Emperor's face is frowned. Theodora is depicted as a faded beauty with a tired, thoughtful face. Her gaze betrays a passionate and strong-willed nature... Two people with an amazing fate, the imperial couple, who headed the largest European country in an extremely turbulent, critical, eventful era, which in the history of Byzantium is today called the "era of Justinian." During the 38-year reign of Justinian and Theodora, the Byzantine Empire reached the peak of its power.

The mosaics of the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna have long and firmly entered the golden fund of world art. Some of them were made back in the time of the Ostrogoths by Roman or Ravenna masters. Such, for example, is the young beardless Christ, seated in a purple toga on a blue sphere, surrounded by two archangels in white robes, St. Vitalius and Bishop Ecclesius, holding a model of the church in his hands. The faces of the archangels are marked with a seal of strict and sublime beauty. The light pouring through the windows creates the impression of the immateriality of the figures. The craftsmen who worked in the Church of San Vitale placed pieces of smalt at different angles and did not smooth the overall surface, thus achieving the effect of a “live” shimmer.

The vaults of the temple are decorated with a floral ornament: either green on a gold background, or gold on a green one. The figures of four angels are woven into this pattern, supporting a blue circle with golden stars and the image of a snow-white lamb.

Ravenna / Ravenna - small, provincial italian city, which one and a half millennia ago, by the will of history, became the "X" point, in which ancient civilization, the Christian world, east and west, and this historical meeting left a mark in the form of unique mosaics, at the sight of which, without exaggeration, one stops breathing, and one wonders if the Creator himself had a hand in the creation of these masterpieces.

We will warn you immediately and honestly that on fabulous atmosphere old streets, as well as a special flavor, you should not count on Ravenna, the general appearance of the city is average, that is, none. You need to go to Ravenna only for the stunning mosaics that have been preserved in the early Christian religious buildings scattered around the city. However, given that the historical center of Ravenna is very compact, this "dispersion" is small.

Now it is difficult to imagine that at the beginning of the first millennium from the birth of Christ, Ravenna was a seaside city and an important port. But the silt, earth and sand brought by the Po River, year after year, gradually moved the city away from the sea for several kilometers.

In the 5th century, Emperor Honorius moved the capital of the Western Empire to Ravenna, but a few decades later, towards the end of that century, most The territory of present-day Italy was conquered by the Ostrogoths, led by Theodoric. After his death, already in the 6th century, Ravenna became a Byzantine city. These are the main historical events, thanks to which small Ravenna acquired eight unique world heritage sites at once, included in the UNESCO lists.

Most often, cathedrals in Italian cities occupy the most honorable place, but this rule does not apply to Ravenna. Ravenna Cathedral Duomo di Santo Spirito stands on a tiny Piazza Duomo is almost in the background. A church was built on this site in the 5th century, but by the 18th century it had become very dilapidated, and it was dismantled, leaving only the bell tower of the 10th century. In 1749, a new building was consecrated, and only four ancient columns built into the portico of the new cathedral remind of the previous one.

Whether the Ravenna Cathedral is interesting or not, you will have to go to it, since near its left wall there is a small octagonal brick building - the Baptistery of the Orthodox ("Neonian Baptistery").

This is the oldest building in Ravenna, built at the turn of the 4th-5th centuries. on an antique foundation. Now, however, the building is about three meters underground.

At the entrance to the baptistery, or any other monument that is the first on your way, buy a combined ticket right away, giving you the right to visit six historical sites. Firstly, it will be cheaper, and secondly, you won’t have to queue at the checkout every time.

The first thing that catches your eye upon entering the baptistery is, of course, the dazzling colors of the dome mosaic, which depicts the scene of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. The central medallion is surrounded by figures of 12 apostles with surprisingly individual and characteristic faces.

The lower tier is decorated with mosaics with floral ornaments. It is not visible in the photographs, but in fact the mosaics of the baptistery, however, like all the others in Ravenna, are made of very, very small pebbles, while color palette of these pebbles is so rich that the masters even had the opportunity to convey the subtle shades of human skin with jewelry accuracy.

Between the windows there are bas-reliefs depicting Christian prophets, only they were made in the best traditions of ancient art.

In the center of the baptistery, a font made of marble and porphyry has been preserved.

Passage between baptistery and side wall cathedral leads to Piazza Arcivescovado, where right hand is the Archbishop's Palace. In the palace now, the museum, in our opinion, is not very exciting, but you need to go into it, and not only because the just bought combined ticket is valid there, but because only through the museum you can get into the former house chapel of Raven bishops, created in late 5th - early 6th centuries under Theodoric.

It is forbidden to take pictures in the chapel, so we can only give a verbal description of its rich design. A tiny chapel in the shape of a Greek cross with an apse is decorated with paintings and mosaics, one of which depicts Christ the Warrior dressed in Roman (!) armor. And how good are the mosaic vaults with an ornament of lilies, roses and birds!

Five minutes walk from episcopal palace Basilica di San Francesco (piazza San Francesco) is located. The church appeared here as early as the 5th century, but in the 10th-11th centuries. it was radically rebuilt and at the same time a 33-meter bell tower was erected.

There are three naves inside the basilica, the central nave ends with an apse. Under the apse is a crypt flooded with groundwater.

In 1321, Dante, who died of malaria, was buried in this church. First, the poet was buried in the portico of the basilica. Two centuries later, the Florentines decided to rebury their compatriot in Florence in the Basilica of Santa Croce, which is the tomb of the outstanding sons of the city. The subsequent story is more like the plot of an adventure novel. The Franciscan monks, who owned the Church of Ravenna, hid the remains of the poet, then secretly transported them to their other monastery, then again, also secretly, returned to Ravenna and hid themselves to the point that they found a box with the ashes of Dante only in 1865 during repairs church of San Francesco, well the monks guessed to sign it. After that, the great Italian finally rested in a mausoleum specially built at the end of the 18th century, which stands to the left of the church.

From the Basilica of San Francesco, a short straight street leads to the main square of Ravenna Piazza del Popolo, which, as expected, is the building of the city hall.

Via Armando Diaz departs from the eastern side of the square, from which the curved lane Via degli Ariani branching off to the left leads to another small but very significant monument - the Arian Baptistery.

A modest size, a brick building that went down almost two meters, was built at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries. by order of Theodoric, who himself was an adherent of Arianism, one of the existing currents of Christianity at that time. The dome of the baptistery is decorated with colorful mosaics, the same age as the building. The mosaic, as well as in the Baptistery of the Orthodox, depicts the scene of the baptism of Jesus. Around are the figures of the twelve apostles. They all hold crowns, only Peter has the keys in his hands, and Paul has a scroll.

In the northwestern part of the historic core of Ravenna, along Via Fiandrini, there is a high-fenced large territory, which houses three tourist site: National Museum of Ravenna, the early Christian Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (at the entrance to the complex we take out our combi ticket!).

The Basilica of San Vitale was founded in 527 and consecrated in 548 in honor of Vitaly of Milan.

The building is an octagon topped with a drum and a dome. The dome is made of light clay pipes threaded into each other. The nearby campanile was added in the 13th century.

Inside the church is a two-tiered rotunda.

The dome rests on eight pillars. The columns are decorated with marble inlay.

The dome frescoes were made already at the end of the 18th century.

In general, in this Ravenna building, the features of both Roman and Byzantine architecture. No wonder this basilica served as a prototype for the architecture of the Carolingian Renaissance, an excellent example of which is the palace chapel in Aachen, Germany.

Immediately from the entrance, the gaze, passing through the mysterious twilight of the rotunda, willy-nilly rushes to the apse splashing with dazzling colors.

The very deep and high apse is completely covered with mosaics of unreal beauty, made in 546 - 547, as researchers believe, by Constantinople masters.

All mosaics are made from very small pebbles of incredibly diverse colors and halftones, which turns the mosaics into a single huge luminous painting canvas.

In the conch of the apse, Christ is depicted with two angels on the sides. To his left is St. Vitaliy, to the right is Bishop Ecclesia of Ravenna with a model of the Basilica of San Vitale.

The arch of the apse is decorated with a fantasy ornament of flowers, birds and cornucopias. On the sides of the windows are portraits of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora, surrounded by courtiers and clergy. The mosaics of the walls are dedicated to the lives of saints, and the scenes unfold against the backdrop of natural landscapes made in a completely realistic manner.

At the same time, absolutely every object or subject depicted on the mosaics carries a certain semantic load, which, for sure, a specialist can talk about for hours. But in order to appreciate the finest artistic taste and the highest degree of professionalism of unknown masters, no special knowledge is required, you just need to have eyes.

Behind the Basilica of San Vitale stands a small, simple, red-brick building built into the ground - the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, built in the second quarter of the 5th century for the daughter of Emperor Theodosius the Great, sister of Emperor Honorius, the same one who transferred the capital from Milan to Ravenna Western Roman Empire.

True, Galla did not die in Ravenna and was not buried in this mausoleum, which in no way reduces its historical value. The mausoleum is a Latin cross with a cubic tower, into which a dome is inscribed from the inside, invisible from the outside.

Inside, the dome, arches and lunettes are covered with mosaics, the earliest in Ravenna. The ceiling in the branches of the cross is covered with floral ornaments laid out against a surprisingly deep blue background.

This ornament is just some kind of magic, it is impossible to look away from it. It is not for nothing that this particular pattern is replicated on all silk shawls and scarves sold in every souvenir shop in Ravenna!

On a rich dark blue background of the dome, a cross and stars are depicted. In the lunette opposite the entrance, according to most experts, there is the Great Martyr Lawrence, going to the fire.

And above the entrance is a young Jesus in a golden tunic.

On the sides of the four windows, only eight apostles fit, the four remaining had to be "settlement" in the side branches of the cross.

At the beginning of the 20th century, during the restoration, alabaster plates were very successfully inserted into the windows, and thanks to them, the whole room is illuminated with a soft, golden light.

The mausoleum contains three sarcophagi intended for Galla Placidia herself, her son and her second husband.

As we have already said, on the same fenced and protected area there is also the National Museum of Ravenna, which exhibits collections of Roman coins and Byzantine bone carvings, frescoes, collections of fabrics and paintings.

From the museum, Via Mura di San Vitale, which runs along the former city wall, leads to the Porta Adriana gate, preserved from the city's fortification system of the 16th century.

From the gate, Via Cavour shopping street leads to central square Piazza del Popolo. On the way to the small square of Piazza Costa, pay attention to interesting building city ​​covered market.

East of Piazza del Popolo, a long, absolutely straight Via Roma runs through the entire city from north to south. On the southern edge historical center it ends with the Porta Nuovo gate (16th century).

From the north, Via Roma closes the gates of Porta Serrata.

On Via Roma there is another "jewel" of Ravenna - the Basilica of Sant "Apollinare Nuovo (again we get a combi ticket out of our pocket!). The basilica was built at the end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th centuries by order of Theodoric.

Initially, the church was dedicated to the Savior, later it was re-consecrated in honor of the first Ravenna bishop Apollinaris. In 10/11 centuries. a cylindrical bell tower was erected next to the basilica.

A marble portico was added to the façade in the 16th century.

Inside the basilica are three naves separated by columns, 12 on each side.

The central nave ends with a baroque apse.

In front of the throne, a 6th-century barrier has been preserved, on which a cross, a peacock and a vine are depicted.

It is not known what the original ceiling of the basilica was, the current coffered one appeared in the 17th century, and a century later, eight chapels were added to the wall to the left of the entrance.

Fortunately, all these transformations did not affect the truly large-scale mosaics covering the walls of the basilica.

Mosaics are located in three tiers. The mosaics of the upper tier illustrate the gospel miracles and the Passion of Christ. The middle tier is occupied by Christian prophets and saints. In the lower tier, processions of virgins and martyrs stretched along all the walls.

The mosaics of the basilica were made at different times. The original mosaics date back to the reign of Theodoric. After Justinian came to power, that is, in the second half of the 6th century, some of the mosaics were shifted for political reasons.

On the wall to the right of the entrance is a procession of martyrs. 26 saints, all of them signed, go from the palace of Theodoric to the throne of Christ.

The image of the palace dates back to the reign of Theodoric. And the modest Justinian did not hesitate to add his beloved to the procession of martyrs.

On the left wall, a procession of 22 virgins and wives leaves the port of Ravenna and goes to the Mother of God.

A mosaic depicting the port has been in this place since the construction of the basilica, but the figures of the Magi leading the line of ladies appeared under Justinian, probably instead of the portrait of Theodoric's wife.

Not far from the Basilica of St. Apollinaris, on the same Via Roma, the mysterious remains of an obviously very ancient structure are piled up.

They were revealed only in the last century and it was assumed that this was Theodoric's palace. But, apparently, there are no scientifically substantiated confirmations of this version yet, and therefore the ruins are quite official name"The so-called-Theodoric-Palace".

All the monuments shown above are located directly in the center of Ravenna, within walking distance from each other, but especially valuable historical buildings are not limited to them.

On the northeastern outskirts of the historic center, not far from the station, along Via Rocca, an imposing wall with powerful towers stretches.

This fortress, as part of the city walls, was built in the middle of the 15th century by the Venetians, when Ravenna was part of the Venetian Republic. Fortification is a "fortress within a fortress". Large plot of land with an area of ​​14,000 square meters, surrounded by a wall with two round and two floor round towers, was named "Citadel". Inside, it was always empty and served as a military parade ground. The area is now a city park.

Inside the Citadel is the much smaller military castle Rocca, which is a square of 2180 square meters in plan with four round towers at the corners. This castle housed a military contingent, horses, weapons and ammunition.

After passing along the fortress wall along Via Rocca, after the fortress you should turn right, go along the overpass above the railway tracks, and immediately after the overpass on the left you will see the trees of the park, in which there is another truly unique monument Ravenna - Mausoleum of the Ostrogoth ruler Theodoric.

The mausoleum was built in 520.

This is the only example of Gothic architecture and the only surviving tomb of a barbarian monarch in Europe.

Unlike all early Christian buildings in Ravenna, made of brick, limestone blocks were used in the construction of the mausoleum.

The dome of the structure, weighing almost 300 tons, is simply carved from solid stone.

Inside the building has two floors. The first floor, apparently, was intended for the chapel or for the burial of other members of the ruler's family. On the top floor is the porphyry sarcophagus of Theodoric.

The sarcophagus is empty. When Emperor Justinian came to power, he ordered the remains of Theodoric to be thrown out of the mausoleum, that is, he committed not only an act of vandalism, but also left humanity without valuable historical material.

It should be borne in mind that even with a quick step it will take about fifteen minutes to walk to the Mausoleum of Theodoric. However, it is not the most remote historical object Ravenna. Already outside the city limits is Basilica di Sant "Apollinare in Classe (via Romea Sud). The church is about five kilometers from the city center, and you have to get to it by car or by city bus.

The basilica was built over the tomb of the first Ravenna bishop Apollinaris and consecrated in 549.

In the 10th century, a bell tower and a narthex were added to the church.

Inside the basilica are three naves separated by columns.

Fragments of the original floor have been preserved in the corner of the building.

The mosaics in this basilica are the latest in Ravenna, they were made in the 6th-9th centuries, and even those have not completely survived. In the middle of the 15th century, Ravenna was thoroughly plundered by the Venetians, so the mosaics survived only in the apse and on the arch separating the apse from the nave.

In the side naves there are 10 sarcophagi dating back to the 7th-8th centuries, some of which belong to the Raven bishops.

In conclusion, we want to say that all the cultural heritage sites of Ravenna are open for visitors all year round without the usual siesta for Italy and without days off, only winter time working hours are reduced by one and a half to two hours. However, in winter, starting from November, it is much better to come to Ravenna - there are no long lines at the entrance, and they are almost inevitable with a large influx of people, since half of the monuments we have described are completely tiny inside. In winter, there are no restrictions on the time spent inside, and at the height of the tourist season this is not uncommon, and, in principle, the absence of crowds makes it possible to fully experience the divine beauty, at the sight of which the heart stops, and the legs grow to the floor.

You buried for centuries.

You sleep like a baby, Ravenna,

Sleepy eternity in the hands.

Ravenna, unlike other cities in Italy, experienced its heyday not in the Renaissance, but in times much older, in the 5th-6th centuries. It was a turning point for Europe, later called the era of the great migration of peoples.

The Roman Empire was overwhelmed by hordes of warlike barbarians - the Romans called the tribes that lived outside their state and were alien to their culture. But between the refined Romans and the ignorant barbarians, there was something in common: the main religion in the territory of the Roman Empire was Christianity, which already penetrated into the environment of the barbarians. The barbarians destroyed and plundered the captured cities, but having settled in the conquered lands, they gradually joined the higher civilization of the Romans. Thus, on the ruins of the ancient world, the Christian culture of the Middle Ages took shape.

The map of the continent was redrawn every now and then, whole states arose and disappeared, old cities faded and new ones flourished. In 330, Emperor Constantine the Great moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to the Bosphorus, to the site of the Greek colony of Byzantium, and rebuilt the new city of Constantinople. At the end of the 4th c. The Roman Empire was divided into the Eastern (Byzantium) with its capital in Constantinople and the Western, the main city of which was again not Rome, but Milan. However, in 401, after the barbarian Visigoths invaded Italy, the Western Roman emperor Honorius moved his capital from Milan to the safer Ravenna.

Nature itself has turned Ravenna into impregnable fortress. At that time, she was located in a convenient harbor on the Adriatic coast (the sea “receded” from Ravenna many centuries later) and was a true mistress Eastern Mediterranean. From the land side, the city was protected by impenetrable swamps. But the transfer of the capital did not help Honorius save his empire from the barbarian hordes. In 410, during the next invasion of the Visigoths led by Alaric, Rome was captured and plundered.

Contemporaries were shocked by the fall " eternal city': it seemed to them that the end of the world had come. In fact, a new era has begun. During the siege of Rome, the twenty-year-old sister of Emperor Honorius, Galla Placidia, was taken prisoner. The story of her life is more fascinating than any other novel. Alaric gave the royal prisoner as a wife to his brother Ataulf. Having given birth to a son from him, the ambitious Galla hoped to found a Romano-Germanic dynasty, but the child died, and Ataulf was killed soon after.

Galla Placidia fell into slavery to his successors and only after long misadventures, at the cost of a huge ransom, did she receive freedom. Returning to Ravenna, she became a co-ruler of Honorius and after the death of her brother ruled the state for many years. Galla died in 450, and her power was destined for a short time to outlive her legendary queen. In 476, the barbarians finally crushed the Western Roman Empire, and soon Ravenna became the capital of a huge state of the Ostrogoths, which stretched far beyond the Alps.

It was ruled by King Theodoric the Great. But a short century was omitted for this kingdom too: in 540, Byzantine troops ousted the Ostrogoths from Italy. Ravenna became the main city of the Italian possessions of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. In 751, the Lombard barbarians conquered Ravenna, and the city, with its shallow harbor, gradually fell into decay. All the rulers of Ravenna diligently decorated and rebuilt it, there were more than two hundred and fifty churches here alone!

The most ancient monument of Ravenna is the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, erected in the first half of the 5th century. There is no evidence that the long-suffering Galla, who died in Rome, really rested in this mausoleum. But the legend firmly links the small chapel with its name.

Like other ancient buildings of Ravenna, the mausoleum is separated from the modern city: a stone fence and a grove of pine trees hide it from the eyes of a passerby, from the hustle and bustle. A small, inconspicuous building made of rough brick that has grown into the ground for a millennium and a half does not correspond in any way to the shimmering world that opens up to us as soon as we cross the threshold.

It is far from a secret that every Italian city has something special and unique that can surprise, delight and even turn your head! Ravenna is a real treasure chest, the contents of which dazzle with its extraordinary beauty! Knowledgeable travelers and beauty hunters strive to get to this city in order to be able to see with their own eyes the indescribable beauty of local churches and chapels.
Mosaics of Ravenna so beautiful that it is simply impossible to describe them in words. No photographs or videos can convey the warmth and light that they radiate.

Many early Christian temples in Ravenna are on the list world heritage UNESCO. Despite the outward simplicity, the ancient churches of this city simply delight with their interior decoration. Getting inside each of them, an incredible picture opens up to the eye, flooded with golden divine light, illuminating everything around. The mosaics of Ravenna are so perfect and beautiful that looking at them literally takes your breath away!

Below we will tell you about the most beautiful churches in Ravenna, the mosaics of which are definitely worth seeing.

Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna and its dazzling mosaics

The Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, dedicated to Saint Vitalius of Milan, was built in the middle of the 6th century at the behest of Bishop Ecclesius. The building is a typical Ravenna architecture, combining elements of Roman (the shape of the dome and portals, towers) and Byzantine architecture (polygonal apse, capitals). Today, the Basilica of San Vitale is under the protection of UNESCO and this is not surprising. The most beautiful mosaics decorating its interior are the most valuable example of Byzantine art.

The Basilica of San Vitale is located on Via Argentario, 22.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and mosaics of the imperial tomb

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (in Italian Mausoleo di Galla Placidia) is located on the territory of the complex of the Basilica of San Vitale. The tomb was built in the 5th century for the daughter of Theodosius I the Great - the Roman emperor, but was never used for its intended purpose, since Galla Placidia herself was buried in Rome.

A modest structure, built in the shape of a Latin cross, keeps a real treasure inside. Magnificent mosaics, created, presumably, by Byzantine masters, are perfectly preserved.

The mausoleum of Galla Placidia is located on Via Argentario, 22.

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and Theodoric's mosaics

The Basilica of Sant Apollinare Nuovo (in Italian Sant Apollinare Nuovo) was built at the beginning of the 6th century by order of the Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great as his own court temple and was originally Arian. In 561, the Byzantine emperor Justinian I handed over the church to the Christians.

The walls of the central nave of the cathedral are completely covered with mosaics, radiating a pleasant golden light. The creation of mosaic decoration refers to the period of Theodoric, but after the transfer religious building followers of Christ, some of the mosaics were re-arranged. Plots related to the Arian doctrine were replaced by scenes from the life of Christian martyrs.

The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is located on Via di Roma, 52

The baptistery is a small room intended for the rite of baptism. Located in Ravenna, the early Christian baptistery, called Noenian, was built by Bishop Urso in the 5th century. The interior decoration of the building was acquired under his successor, Bishop Neon, on whose behalf the name of the religious building comes.

The most beautiful mosaics, realized by Byzantine masters, made this building one of the most significant monuments Byzantine mosaic art.

The neonian baptistery is located at Piazza Duomo, 1.

Archbishop's Chapel of Saint Andrew

St. Andrew's Chapel (in Italian Cappella di Sant'Andrea) is a unique example of early Christian Archbishop's Chapel that has survived to this day. This building was erected at the end of the 5th century by Bishop Peter II, as a prayer corner, intended for the Ravenna bishops, during the period when Arianism prevailed in the city.

This amazing chapel, distinguished by the special beauty of its mosaics, is located in the Arcivescovile Museum complex, located in Piazza Arcivescovado, 1.

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe

The temple, located away from the historical center of Ravenna, was erected in the first half of the 6th century with the money of the Byzantine banker Julian Argentarius at the request of the Archbishop Ursicino at the burial site of St. Apollinaris. The church is one of largest structures early Christian religious architecture.

I confess right away that I had never heard of this city before. Turns out Ravenna is absolutely amazing and unique city With centuries of history. This is a city where nothing more, nothing less, the Great Roman Empire was born and died.

Near Ravenna flows a river with more than famous name— Rubicon. It was he who crossed with his legions Julius Caesar and became emperor, although the word - emperor then had a completely different meaning, as they expressed respect for the great commander. This was the birth of an empire.

It was in Ravenna in 402 that the capital of the Western Roman Empire was transferred from Milan, fleeing the raids of the barbarians. And in 472, with the overthrow of the last emperor, the existence of the Western Roman Empire ended. Ravenna extended the reign of emperors by only 70 years.

In Ravenna, the monuments of the 5th-6th centuries of our era have been miraculously preserved, and they have been preserved so well that it is simply unbelievable. Mosaics, which are about 1500 years old, look perfect despite the wars, natural disasters and other troubles that have swept through the territory of Italy more than once for a millennium and a half.

In, for example, the frescoes of the XII century in the Cathedral of St. George were preserved on only 1/5 of the walls, the rest was irretrievably lost.

We parked behind a building National Museum(Museo Nazionale, Via Benedetto Fiandrini, Ravenna). Parking costs only 3 euros per day, the ticket must be kept until departure, the watchman checks. Museum tickets can be bought at the shop opposite the Basilica di San Vitale. An adult ticket costs 9-50 euros, children are free. We got a discount, tickets cost 8-50 euros. Tickets allow you to visit the following objects:

1. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia(erected around 425-450 AD)
2. Basilica of San Vitale(consecrated in 548 after the return of Ravenna under the rule of Byzantium)
3. Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo(built at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries by Theodoric, leader of the Ostrogoths)
4. Archbishop's Museum and St. Andrew's Chapel(built at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries by Theodoric, leader of the Ostrogoths)
5. Orthodox or Neonian Baptistery(built at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries under the bishop of Urs)

And if you are not an art critic, then this will be enough for one day. All these buildings are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as monuments of early Christian culture. Together with the tickets, a map is issued so that you can bypass all the indicated relics.

In the same store you can buy a book guide to all the monuments of Ravvena in Russian, which explains in detail all the religious plots of the mosaics (cost 6 euros). It seems to me that Ravenna is the city to visit which you need to prepare, read literature, otherwise it will not be interesting.

All major attractions are V-VI century AD, so that everything is transparent enough, you do not have to jump from one century to another. Of the main historical events you need to remember: first there was the reign of Galla - Placidia, then the capture of Ravenna by the Goths under the leadership of Theodoric (he was also a Christian), later the return of Ravenna under the patronage of Byzantium in 548.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Galla Placidia (388-450) was the most interesting woman in the decline of the empire. She was the daughter of Theodosius the Great. She spent her youth in captivity with the Goths. Although it is difficult to say whether it was a captivity, Galla became the wife of the leader of the Goths - Allaric, and after his death she married his successor Ataulf. However, Attaulf was killed just 2 years after the wedding. Placidia was exchanged for several cartloads of grain, so she returned to her former life with her high-ranking relatives. Then she was about 30 years old.

As befits a decent Roman matron, Galla Placidia married the commander, they had a son, at the age of 2, who became the emperor of the Western Roman Empire - Valentinian III. But in fact, Galla, who inherited energy and abilities from her crowned father, managed the affairs of the empire as a regent and very successfully.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

The mausoleum itself is rather nondescript from the outside, it has grown into the ground by 2 meters, but inside it is completely lined with dark blue mosaics without the slightest gap, the dome is like a starry sky. The room is quite small; there are three sarcophagi: one is attributed to Galla Placidia, the other to her husband Emperor Constantine III, who reigned for about six months in 421, and the third to their son, Valentinian III.

Mosaic plots are of the greatest value. In those distant times, the canons and dogmas of the church had not yet taken shape, and we can touch the origins of European religious art. Artists at all times portrayed their contemporaries as Christ and the apostles, such is the property of the human mind. If you want to see what the people of the fifth century AD looked like, look at what they depicted.

Saint Lawrence, with the same cross as Christ on the previous mosaic, hurries to burn the Arian heresy. The Arians believed that God created Christ and therefore Christ is not equal to God. Then it was important, but now the majority of the world's population has never heard of the Arians.

The facts show that Galla Placidia was never buried in her tomb, she ended her days in Rome and most likely she was buried there. The tombs were opened and found that as many as five people were lying there, the remains date back to the 10th century, but the inhabitants of Ravenna would never agree with such statements, they firmly believe that their empress found peace in Ravenna in her mausoleum.

Basilica of San Vitale

The Basilica of San Vitale is located just around the corner from the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. But it was built 100 years later. Its construction was associated with the transition of Ravenna under the rule of Byzantium.

Photos are not able to convey all the radiance of the mosaics, it must be seen live. Probably the construction and decor were made by Byzantine masters. The mosaics depict Justinian and Empress Theodora, surrounded by courtiers, presenting gifts to the new church. These are the best imperial portraits that have come down to our time.

The Basilica of San Vitale is a piece of the dead Byzantium on the shores of Italy.

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo was erected by the Ostrogoth king Theodoric at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries, when this barbarian leader conquered Italy (in 493) and made Ravenna his capital. Theodoric was an ardent supporter of the Arian heresy and even sought its recognition from the Pope. But after the return of Ravenna under the rule of Byzantium, in 540 the buildings of the Arians passed to the true believers.

In the 11th century, the relics of St. Apollinaris, the first bishop of Ravenna from Sant'Apollinare in Classe, were transferred to the basilica, so the basilica got its name - Sant'Apollinare Nuovo.

Only on the walls of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo remains the image of the old port of Classe and ancient city Ravenna, hiding behind the walls.

Ravenna at the beginning of the first millennium of our era stood on the very shore of the Adriatic, but over a millennium and a half, the coast receded by 8 km. It is this distance that separates the city from the modern port. The sea washed up sand to the shores of the ancient city. Old Ravenna used to be like Venice with canals and bridges, now the sands have swallowed everything up.

Orthodox Baptistery

Only in Italy such a number of baptistery (room for baptism) has been preserved, in other countries after the XII century they ceased to build them as a separate building. The baptistery was built on the foundation of the former Roman baths, now the cultural layer lies at a depth of three meters from the base. He literally rooted into the ground and at the same time the mosaics are perfectly preserved.

The photo is enlarged. John the Baptist, dressed in skins, is already a canon of medieval art, and Christ is still a typical ancient Roman image, and a little paganism - the ancient deity of the river, Jordan himself, participates in baptism. He looks like an ordinary, pagan, Roman god - with a curly beard and long white hair, in which 2 crab claws are entangled.

Archbishop's Museum and St. Andrew's Chapel

Something similar can be seen in the Archbishop's Museum. Christ is depicted as a Roman legionnaire, in military armor.

In an open book it is written in Latin: "I am the Way, the True and the Life." With his feet, Christ tramples the symbols of evil on the head of a lion and a snake. I have never seen such an unusual Christ anywhere else. Perhaps this is one of the earliest depictions of a militaristic church.

The most valuable exhibit of the Archbishop's Museum is the ivory pulpit, allegedly donated by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.

Palace of Theodoric

Only one façade remains of the palace. The campanile of the Basilica of St. Appolinarius is visible in the background. Ravenna is a very compact city, transport does not really need to get around everything on foot. In fact, the palace did not belong to Theodoric. But as with the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, it turned out that this name stuck to it. The building dates from a later period.

Theodoric was one of the educated barbarians, he was educated in Constantinople (Constantinople) itself. During training, the barbarian Theodoric converted to Christianity. But despite all his education, he could not write and always stenciled his signature. When I told the children this fact, they all laughed at the system of Byzantine education.

In addition to the palace, the mausoleum of the leader of the Ostrogoths in Ravenna has been preserved. They say that Theodoric was very afraid of thunder and lightning and therefore ordered the construction of a mausoleum with a roof of whole piece stone weighing 300 tons. The mausoleum looks quite ordinary and absolutely empty, if I didn’t know that it is so ancient, I would never have paid my attention to it.

Many times we have heard that there are many falling towers in Italy, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is not the only one. And in Ravenna, we really managed to see another falling tower, its base was pulled together with modern rails for strengthening.

And in the cafe we ​​had a great bite with a view of the leaning tower, the menu was only for Italian, pizza and pasta in Italian will be almost the same as on others European languages. I ordered fish - "salmon", but it turned out to be a pancake with fish, it was also delicious.

Ravenna used to be surrounded by walls, fragments of them remained.

Ravenna seemed to us a deserted town, underestimated by tourists. There are really few people on the streets. Very good Wi-Fi in the city center, sat in a cafe and enjoyed. This city will be of interest to art lovers, those who are interested in all the subtleties of the formation of Christian canons, lovers of beauty of all ages.