Ravenna - The City of Mosaics
“My brother Joe suggested we take a route through Ravenna on our way from Venice back to Panzano," my friend Mary offered as we planned her visit.
Like at least 50% of the people I’ve since asked, I was unaware of the treasures of this ancient city, home to 8 of the 1223 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Once I began to read about it, I was captivated.
“Yes, absolutely, let’s do that!” And I am so glad we did.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) aims to promote world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. Designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site provides cultural and natural locations of significance the protection and recognition they deserve. UNESCO sites include outstanding examples of unique natural beauty, human traditions, exceptional architecture or representation of values or creative genius as well as significant ecological and biological development past or present. Ravenna’s incredible mosiacs certanly earn this designation!
The history of Ravenna dates back to pre-Romans who valued its location close to the Adriatic sea. During successive periods as the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the Ostrogoth Kingdom and then a center of the Byzantine world, impressive churches and religious structures were built which survive to this day.
Stunning mosaics in brilliant, mouth dropping colors adorn vast spaces of these ancient buildings. I will let the beauty of these masterpieces speak for themselves while you consider the fact that these lasting works of extraordinary artistry and creativity are unsigned, completed by unknown, annonymous workers.
These images are from churches and a tomb built in the 5th and 6th century!
For the nerds among us who recall learning about the Arian heresy in religion class, I’ll share my fascination to have learned Ravenna was the nexus of this heresy from the fourth century. The heresy challenged the doctrine of a trinitarian God and embraced the view that Jesus as the Son of God was created by God, but not a coequal person of the Trinity. Arian churches were separate from Catholic Churches. The depictions of Jesus in these churches did not represent him as God. So, it was fascinating to see that when the heresy, after years of dissension within the Catholic Church, lost its place and the Arian churches fell to the traditional western orthodoxy, mosaics were revised. A good guide will point out the evidence of these sometimes inept revisions.
A cynic will note its just another, early example of how the “victor” gets to write the story.
Apostles, martyrs and 8 point stars in a blue firmament- the eight point star represents eternity- which follows the 7 days of creation. This is from the baptistry- the Battistero Neoniano
From the Chapel of Saint Andrew, the archbishop's chapel
Also from the Baptistry, constructed in the early part of the 5th century when Ravenna was the seat of western government for the Roman Empire but shortly before its fall to the Ostrogoths.
Ravenna is also where Dante, Italy's revered poet is buried. This "tongue in cheek" poster advertises an upcoming poetic challenge