As soon as we arrived in the historic center of Ravenna we immediately had the feeling of being in a place different from any other Italian city: silent, elegant, intimate, but capable of housing an impressive quantity of artistic treasures. The cobbled streets, the bicycles flowing lightly, the red bricks of the facades and the relaxed atmosphere lead you towards a heritage that seems infinite. Ravenna does not impress with the noisy monumentality of the great art capitals: it conquers with the details, with the golden light of the mosaics, with its places suspended in time.
The Basilica of San Vitale and the most extraordinary mosaics I have ever seen
The first stop could only be the Basilica of San Vitale, the absolute symbol of the city. From the outside it appears austere, almost severe, but just enter to be completely overwhelmed by the beauty. The interior is an explosion of colours, reflections and geometries. The famous Byzantine mosaics depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora still appear to be alive.
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Each tile reflects the light differently and creates an almost hypnotic effect. Looking upwards, the frescoed dome and octagonal decorations give the sensation of being inside a total work of art. It is impossible not to stop for several minutes in silence, trying to grasp every detail of one of the most extraordinary places of Italian artistic heritage.
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The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and the starry sky that leaves you speechless
A few steps from the basilica is the place that most moved me during the visit: the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Small on the outside, almost hidden, inside it houses one of the most evocative mosaics in the world. Upon entering, your eyes are immediately drawn to an incredible blue sky dotted with golden stars.
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The atmosphere is intimate, almost mystical. The light filters delicately from the alabaster windows and illuminates Christian symbols, sacred figures and refined details that seem to belong to another dimension. It’s one of those places that no photograph can really describe.
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Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, the Neonian Baptistery and the charm of the UNESCO monuments
Walking through the historic center you then reach the splendid Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, famous for the very long mosaic processions that decorate the walls of the central nave. Here Ravenna shows all its Byzantine soul: gold, solemn figures, sacred scenes and an almost unreal silence.
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Not far away is the Neoniano Baptistery, one of the oldest early Christian monuments in the city. The dome decorated with the baptism of Christ leaves you breathless for the precision of the details and the brilliance of the colors, despite centuries having passed. Each monument tells a different part of the history of Ravenna, which between the 5th and 7th centuries was even the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths and the Byzantine Empire.
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Dante’s Tomb and the Zone of Silence
One of the most intense moments of the day was reaching the Tomb of Dante Alighieri, one of my favorite poets. The area surrounding it is called the Zone of Silence for a reason: here everything slows down. The small neoclassical temple houses the remains of the Supreme Poet, who died in Ravenna in 1321 after completing the Paradise. Walking among the nearby cloisters and gardens you perceive a intimate and profoundly cultural atmosphere.
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Next door is the Basilica of San Francesco, famous for its incredible submerged crypt. Looking through the small window under the altar you can see floor mosaics immersed in water, crossed by small goldfish. A surreal scene that makes this place one of the most particular in the entire city.
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Ravenna is a city to live slowly
The true beauty of Ravenna, however, is not only in its monuments. It is in the pauses in the square, in the quiet alleys, in the artisan shops and in the warm colors that envelop the historic center. Walking without haste you will discover unexpected views, hidden cloisters and details that tell centuries of history. Ravenna succeeds in something rare: bringing together the grandeur of Byzantine art with an intimate and authentic atmosphere. At the end of the day I had the feeling of having visited not just a city, but a place capable of leaving me with wonder, tranquility and an immediate desire to return.
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