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Student Sourcebook 2004
International School of Painting, Drawing,
and Sculpture in Umbria, Italy
The Roman empire was divided in 395 and in 402 Ravenna became the capital under Honorius and his sister Galla Placidia. From 493-526 Theodoric ruled, and built his Mausoleum, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Santo Spirito, and the Arian Baptistry. Ravenna came under Byzantine rule in 540 with Justinian and Theodora, when San Vitale and Sant'Apollinare in Classe were built. In the mosaics we can see a progression from a naturalism inspired by classical ideals (Mausoleum of Galla Placidia) to a decorative and hierarchic Byzantine stylism (San Vitale).
More information on churches and monuments and museums and galleries in Ravenna. Booking center tel. 0544219938, or 800-303999.
Cumulative tickets: € 6,20 (Museo Nazionale, Mausoleo di Teodorico, S.Apollinare in Classe) € 5,16 (S.Vitale-Galla Placidia-Spirito Santo-Battistero Neoniano-Cappella S.Andrea)
Battistero Neoniano - Piazza Duomo. 9-19. Converted from a Roman bathhouse. Octagonal brick, mid-5C mosaic Baptism of Christ, Apostles. Close in date to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Battistero degli Ariani - via degli Ariani. Tel. 0544 34424. Late 5C under Theodoric. Octagonal, mosaic Baptism of Christ, Apostles.
Mausoleo di Teodorico - Via delle Industrie, 14 (north on Via Roma to Porta Serrata (1582), east on Circonvallazione alla Rotonda, beyond railway on the left). 8.30-19. Tel. 0544 34424. Built by Theodoric in 520. Ten-sided building of huge blocks of stone joined without mortar. The cupola is a single circular block of stone, 11m in diameter.
Museo Nazionale - Garden of San Vitale, Via Fiandrini. Tel. 0544 34424. 8.30-19.30. Very large and varied collection of Roman, Romanesque, Coptic, ceramic, mosaic art. Refectory, frescoes from Santa Chiara by Pietro da Rimini, 14C. € 4.
Museo Arcivescovile and Cappella di S.Andrea - Piazza Arcivescovado. 9-19. 6C mosaics and the Ivory Throne of Archbishop Maximian of Ravenna, 546-556 with relief carvings. € 6.
Pinacoteca Comunale - Via Roma, 13 next to Santa Maria in Porto, via Roma and Via Cerchio. Tel. 0544 482054. Mon, Thurs, Fri 9-13.30, 15-18; Wed, Sat 9-13.30, Sun 15-18. Monaco, Bellini, Longhi, Palma Giovane, Bordone. € 3.
San Francesco - Piazza San Francesco. Tel. 0544 33256. 5C building completely rebuilt in 10C. Sculpture fragments, sarcophagi from 4C, 10C crypt with mosaics from the original church.
Sant'Apollinare in Classe - 5km south of Ravenna. 9-19. 10C campanile, early Christian sarcophagi (5-8C); chancel and arch, restored mosaics from 6-7C. 2 aisles with 26 arches on Greek marble columns with Byzantine capitals.
Sant'Apollinare Nuovo - Via di Roma. 9-19. Tel. 0544 218158. Built by Theodoric mid-6C. Facade 16C, campanile 10C. 2 aisles separated by Corinthian columns. Mosaics: upper level, life of Christ. Below, procession of virgins and saints and the Port of Classe (Roman-Hellenistic influence), opposite, procession of martyrs (later Byzantine influence).
San Vitale - 547. 9-19. The best example of Byzantine art in western Europe. Octagonal with an octagonal cupola. Fabulous interior of marble and mosaic: Justinian and Theodora and their courts, Old Testament sacrifices, Four Evangelists.
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia - north side of San Vitale. 9-19. The interior as a whole is a work of art. Gets pretty crowded inside, but not to be missed. Mosaics (mid-5C) classically inspired, fantastic color, Christian redemption as a theme. Booking may be necessary. € 2
Tomb of Dante - via Dante Alighieri, 9. 9-19. Tel. 0544 30252
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Student Sourcebook 2004
International School of Painting, Drawing,
and Sculpture in Umbria, Italy