Byzantine Mosaics and the Monuments of Ravenna
Unsurpassed in western Europe for its Byzantine art and architecture, Ravenna was one of the first cities anywhere to be chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is celebrated above all for its early Christian mosaics and monuments.
Ravenna's importance first begins with the Roman emperor Augustus' building of the imperial port of Classis nearby, the seat of the Adriatic fleet. However, its greatest period began in the fifth century when the Roman Emperor Honorius moved the imperial court from Rome to Ravenna. Successive emperors adorned the city with splendid monuments. Our guide will lead us on a historic tour of the city, taking us through the eight buildings constructed in the fifth and sixth centuries: the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Neonian Baptistery, the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the Arian Baptistery, the Archiepiscopal Chapel, the Mausoleum of Theodoric the Great, and the Church of San Vitale. We will also take in the austere tomb of Dante as well as the impressive sixth century Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe. An additional stop may be made at the nearby seventh century Abbazia di Pomposa, widely regarded as one of Italy's oldest and most important monastery complexes. The excursion includes transportation, a guided tour of the city, churches, and monuments, as well as all entrance fees.