- Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Dance of the Seasons (original). Spring on the left, Autumn with the crown is in the front, Winter in the back and Summer is missing. A personification of Time plays a pan flute. - Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
- Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
What a lovely private building, dating from the 5-6th century. The villa had at least 14 rooms, this one was probably a new reception room. In the centre, there is The Dance of the Seasons. - Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
I wonder if the red and blue were always that pale or were they more vibrant. - Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
- Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
What lovely mosaic floors of private villas. - Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Parts were covered with mosaics and parts with marble plates. This were the foundations for the marble plates, now (pretty sure) reused elsewhere. - Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Accidentally discovered in the 1993/94. But what do you do when you have multiple layers of history stacked on top of each other? You decide to display the prettiest? This one certainly is worth displaying! - Ravenna
What lovely messages all over the town. - Ravenna
Well, hello there! - Museo Arcivescovile
The cathedral, the baptistry on the right, and the Museo Arcivescovile on the left. - Museo Arcivescovile
Cross of Agnellus. The silver medallions covering the cross date from the 11th century. - Museo Arcivescovile
Cross of Agnellus, details of the silver medallions. - Museo Arcivescovile
Apparently a 16th century patera. Whatever that is. - Museo Arcivescovile
- Museo Arcivescovile
- Museo Arcivescovile
Pulpit - ambo (597) shows plenty of animals as well as Saints John and Paul. Made out of a reused old sarcophagus. - Saint Andrew's Chapel
Depiction of young Christ with Saint Peter and Saint Paul. - Saint Andrew's Chapel
The dome is decorated with four angels pointing towards IX, and the four symbols of the evangelists. - Saint Andrew's Chapel
Six female martyrs: Daria, Perpetua and Felicitas. On the other side are Eufemia, Eugenia, and Cecilia. - Museo Arcivescovile
The entrance to the museum. - The Orthodox Baptistery
Hm, is this an optical illusion? Because sometimes I see birds and sometimes fish. - The Orthodox Baptistery
Another empty throne, awaiting Christ's Second Coming. - The Orthodox Baptistery
The central image depicts the Baptism of Christ, Saint John the Baptist on the left and a small Jordan on the right. The bearded heads are not original though. And the apostles are named. Funnily, some have golden tunics with white pallium and other vice versa. - The Orthodox Baptistery
What a masterpiece this is! Multiple circles of mosaic depict the central baptism, followed by the twelve (named!) apostles and the outer circle shows richly decorated thrones and altars. This mosaic is a few decades older than the Arian one. - The Orthodox Baptistery
Saint Jacob - The Orthodox Baptistery
Lush decorations - The Orthodox Baptistery
Saint Bartholomew - The Orthodox Baptistery
Saint Andrew - The Orthodox Baptistery
Quite a cool modern depiction of the Nativity by Cesare Cardinale. - Ravenna Cathedral
The belltower of the Ravenna Cathedral. - The Orthodox Baptistery
The Orthodox baptistery, also called the Neonian Baptistery. Built by bishop Ursus but decorated by bishop Neon in 470. - The Arian Baptistery
Saints Peter and Paul lead a procession of five apostles towards the cross on an empty throne (representing God the Father?). In this Arian baptistery, the Father is above the Christ, possibly indicating the Arian beliefs. Saint Paul on the left, Saint Peter on the right. The rest I don't know. - The Arian Baptistery
As always, beautiful decorations everywhere. - The Arian Baptistery
Ha, 1500-year old topological defects :-D - The Arian Baptistery
Only the ceiling remains decorated - but what decoration it is! Basically: the baptism of Jesus and twelve apostles. - The Arian Baptistery
The medallion shows the young Christ in the middle, river Jordan on the left (with red crab claws?) and John the Baptist on the right. Above Christ is a dove (the Holy Spirit). One does not often see a naked Christ. - The Arian Baptistery
More unidentified apostles. Are we supposed to tell them apart based only on their beards? Another mystery are the (greek?) letters on their coats. - The Arian Baptistery
The baptistery was built around 500 under the reign of the Ostrogothic king Theoderic. Arian Christianity was different from the Orthodox Christianity as they considered Christ as not truly divine but rather a created being. - Santo Spirito
The entrance to (now) Santo Spirito. Built by Theodoric around 500 as an Arian cathedral. Around 560 it became the Orthodox St Theodor and in 15th century Santo Spirito. - Torre civica
I would not want to live opposite this tower. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
What a monumental piece. It used to be at the sea, now multiple kilometers inland. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
- Mausoleum of Theoderic
There is a large porphyry bathtub in the top floor. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
The dome is made of a limestone monoblock, brought from Istria. With a diameter of 10.76 metres, it weights over 230 tons. Not two windows are the same. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
Another corner, another Saint. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
The bottom part of the mausoleum is decagonal in shape. The dome has a twelve-fold symmetry. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
The architecture is quite unusual, probably from Syria or Asia Minor. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
The lower floor of the mausoleum. - Mausoleum of Theoderic
- Mausoleum of Theoderic
- Ravenna
- Ravenna
- Mausoleum of Theoderic
The gigantic building is made of carefully carved stones. What an insane precision! - Dante's grave
The city of Florence wants the bones of Dante, but Ravenna is not giving them :-) But Florence are providing the oil for the votive lamp. - Dante's grave
The zone around Dante's grave is the silent zone. But there are daily readings of the Divine Comedy. - Dante's grave
Dante was exiled from Florence and died in Ravenna in 1321. His bones were moved (and hidden!) multiple times, but this tomb is quite recent, with Cardinal Gonzaga's coat of arms. - Madonna del Granduca
Madonna del Granduca by Rafael by Blub. - Ravenna
Wonderful street signs all over the town. - Basilica of San Vitale
The construction started in 526 on the orders of Bishop Ecclesius of Ravenna. Bishop Maximian completed the construction in 547. The building is octagonal, with the entrances next to the altar. So... strange. - Basilica of San Vitale
Under the arch: Abraham and Sarah feeding the three strangers at Mambre and the Sacrifice of Isaac, with God's hand stopping Abraham from killing Isaac. Over the arch: the prophet Jeremiah, two angels holding a shield, Moses receiving the Law on Mt Sinai. - Basilica of San Vitale
A young Christ, two angles, St Vitalis on the left and bishop Ecclesius on the right. The bishop offers the church to the Christ, while St Vitalis, covering his hands with a veil, receives the crown of martyrdom. Christ holds a scroll closed with the seven seals of the Apocalypse. - Basilica of San Vitale
The Lamb of God, supported by four angels standing on blue globes. And plenty of animals, my favourite being peacocks. - Basilica of San Vitale
The mosaic depicting Emperor Justinian, who ruled the Roman Empire between 527 and 565, and his court. On the right side are the bishop Maximian, a deacon with the Bible, and a subdeacon with a thurible. On the left are probably generals Belisarius and Narses, and some soldiers. Justinian wears red and purple shoes, which only emperors were allowed to wear. And he stands on someone's foot :-) - Basilica of San Vitale
Probably the most famous mosaic in the church: Empress Theodora, the wife of Justinian I, holding the Eucharistic vessel. On the right might be Antonina, Belisarius’ wife, and other unnamed women, on the left is a court official and an eunuch. The detailing on the dresses (including the Tree Magi!) is insane. - Basilica of San Vitale
The richness of the mosaic work in crazy. Down to the tiniest details! - Basilica of San Vitale
The apostles, decorated with fish! Fish! - Basilica of San Vitale
Part of the Sanctuary. - Basilica of San Vitale
More apostles. And more fish :-) - DSC 4622
Abel sacrificing a lamb to God, and the King of Salem, Melchizedek, offering a loaf of bread. And another God's hand coming from the blue and pink clouds. Heh, Abel has a cottage and Melchizedek a palace. - Basilica of San Vitale
What a difference between the two sides! Separated by the great arch, decorated with fifteen mosaic medallions: Jesus Christ in the centre, the twelve Apostles and Saint Gervasius and Saint Protasius, the sons of Saint Vitale. - Basilica of San Vitale
The mosaics here are just insanely beautiful. - Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
Plenty of sarcophagi around here. - Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
Above the entrance, there is the mosaic of the Good Shepherd. - Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
Each side has two apostles and a pair of doves. - Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
Either Saint Lawrence or Saint Vincent. And come fantastic decorative mosaics. - Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
Deer drinking water. At first I thought they were eating watermelons :-) And then there are two more apostles around the chi-rho-alpha-omega sign. - Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
My favourite part of the ceiling. So intense. Unfortunately, the illumination of the whole mausoleum was almost nonexistent... - Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was built between 425 and 450. Galla Placidia was the daughter of the Roman emperor Theodosius I. - Ravenna
Not a window, actually a roof. - Basilica of San Francesco
Alabaster windows in the basilica. - Basilica of San Francesco
The submerged crypt in the basilica, dating from the 9-10th century. There are living fish in the crypt! - Quadrarco di Braccioforte
The sarcophagi date from the 5-6th century and belong to rich Ravenna families. This one is of the Pignatta family. - Basilica of San Francesco
Initially built in 450, rebuilt in the 9th and 10th century. Handed over to the Franciscans in 1261, now the basilica is dedicated to Saint Francis. - Marlene Dietrich
Super-Marlene by LeDiesis - Ravenna
- Casa Matha
Casa Matha is a guild of fishermen, one of the oldest in the world. - Ravenna
Spirito e Bellezza by Luisa Valentini (2013) - Mecato Coperto
The old market is now occupied with modern restaurants and bars. - Ravenna
After two days of sightseeing in the town, one recognises almost all the street-sign mosaics. - Ravenna
- Ravenna
Wonderful street signs all over the town. - Ravenna
What a wonderful depiction of Dante! - Beatrice
Super-Beatrice by LeDiesis - Pomposa Abbey
Some of the frescoes are even older, from the 10th century. - Pomposa Abbey
The church is full of 14th century Bolognese school frescoes, depicting Old Testament, New Testament and the Apocalypse. - Pomposa Abbey
Ah, the Last Judgment. The Hell is interesting as there are people actually being tortured. Often they are just being taken by all sorts of cute creatures. - Pomposa Abbey
In the apse, Christ sits on the throne surrounded by musician angels and saints. Below is the procession opened by the Virgin Mary with St. Benedict. The Abbot Andrea, who ordered the work in 1351 is kneeling down on the left. The bottom part tells the story of Saint Eustace. Fresoes by Vitale da Bologna. - Pomposa Abbey
Another fresco in the Chapter House, this one depicts Saint Benedict. - Pomposa Abbey
The Chapter House with early 14th century frescoes by a direct pupil of Giotto. In the center is Saint Guido, the Abbot of Pomposa (970-1046), on the left Saint Paul and on the right a pair of prophets, Moses and David. Note the horns on Moses :-)