Sighseeing
The magnificence of its history has left Ravenna with a great heritage of Monuments, religious buildings decorated with mosaics, architectural masterpieces and beautiful art galleries.
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
This is a small Latin cross plan Mausoleum built around 425-450 by Galla Placidia (386-452), the sister of Honorius, the Roman Emperor who moved the Capital of the western empire from Milan to Ravenna. Nowadays it is famous for the beauty of its mosaics and "The spell of the starry sky of Galla Placidia". The atmosphere of the Mausoleum of Gall Placidia is undoubtedly magical - on entering the small building, in the form of a Latin cross, the visitor is struck by the sudden change from daylight to a created nocturnal ambience.
Mausoleum of Theodoric
This is actually the tomb of Theodoric built by him in 520. The building is divided in two decagonal orders one above the other and is completely made of Istria stone. It is roofed with a single block of Istria stone of 10 meters diameter weighing 300 tons. A stair leads to the upper floor where there is a circular porphyry tub in which it is supposed that Theodoric was buried. His remains were removed during Byzantine rule.
Basilica of San Vitale
Basilica of San Vitale is also called "The labyrinth of the soul" - on entering it the eyes are drawn up to the lofty interior volume, the stupendous mosaic decorations of the apse, the large spaces and the baroque frescoes of the cupola. In the floor of the presbytery, right in front of the altar, a labyrinth is represented on one side of the octagonal floor. Small arrows start at the centre of the maze and lead along a winding route towards the centre of the basilica. The altar is decorated with the most beautiful mosaics of Christendom.
Neonian Baptistry
This is the most ancient of Ravenna monuments dating back to the end of the 4th or the beginning of the 5th century. The Baptistery is splendidly decorated with mosaics, stucco-works and marble parts. In the middle there is an octagonal font of Greek marble and porphyry, reworked in the 16th century, which still preserves some original fragments.
Rasponi Garden or Garden of Forgotten Herbs
Probably the most distinguished place to visit in Ravena is the gorgeous Rasponi garden. It can be reached by passing through the elegant courtyard in front and the 18th century main door designed by Camillo Morigia. The imposing walls surrounding the garden deaden the noise of the city, creating a palpable almost magical atmosphere, enhanced by the colours and perfumes of the herbs and where the gaze is charmed by an unusual view of Ravenna. The garden is the ideal place to have a moment of relaxation and to enjoy an unusual botanical ambience.
San Vitale Pinewood, the Tideways
San Vitale Pinewood, the tide-ways and Classe Pinewood are natural areas of great prestige included into the Po Delta National Park which is sprinkled with marshes, bogs, lagoons, river outlets. It is the land "su la marina dove 'l Po discende per aver pace co' seguaci sui" (on the sea where the Po descends to find peace with its followers); it is the land of great pinewoods which were used to re-supply the Roman fleet, it is the nature of Ravenna.
Events
Ravenna is also the centre of different cultural events, fashion reviews and art exhibitions, theatres, classical music concerts, poetry readings, and puppet shows.
La Domus del Triclinio e la mostra Convivium
The exhibition Convivium represents the art of preparing banquets and the pleasure of life in the ancient Rome. It is the second event of a history, which began in S. Nicolò with the Domus del Triclinio. It shows, in particular, mosaics, furniture, vessels and other precious finds, coming on the occasion, not only from Ravenna, but also from the most important archaeological Italian museums. Of greatest interest is the big polychrome mosaic floor, which is decorated with particular motif called asarotos oikos ("unswept floor"), coming from Aquileia.
National Museum
The National Museum includes important collections of minor arts among which some funeral steles and epigraphs, various archaeological fragments, a collection of textiles (from Coptic to Renaissance), an important collection of ivories, a rich collection of icons, a coins and medals section and a fascinating collection of ancient weapons.
Mosaico di Notte - Mosaics by Night
In Ravenna every evening all through the summer it is possible to admire the mosaics that have made the city famous throughout the world - the artistic heritage of Ravenna that have brought to light mosaics of the Roman and early Christian periods; the archaeological site Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra and the archaeological exhibition of Domus del Triclinio.
