Photo 1: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, in the apse, the Christ Pantocrator
In search of the tomb of Dante, the great Italian poet and father of the modern Italian language, I come to Ravenna. Perhaps many non-Italian friends do not know this city, which like other Italian cities has had a considerable importance in the history of our nation. Tourists know, Rome, Venice, Florence and a few other cities. Ravenna during the decline of the Roman Empire became the capital of the Empire itself in place of Rome in 402 AD. since, being surrounded by swamps and rivers, it was more defensible from the attacks of the barbarians who had begun to invade Italy. It remained the capital of the Empire until its fall in 476 AD. It thus became the capital of the kingdom of the Ostrogoths under Theodoric until 526 AD. Justinian, emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, reconquers Ravenna and makes it the capital of the Exarchate, that is, of the Byzantine possessions (from Byzantium, now Istanbul and formerly Constantinople) in Italy, until 754 AD. year of the conquest of Ravenna by the Lombards. All this premise to illustrate one of the absolute artistic magnificences in Italy, built in 526 AD. in the same period and probably also by some artists who were building the church of Santa Sofia in Constantinople: the Church of San Vitale. Externally the church is not flashy and you immediately realize that it is not the classic Italian church we are used to, an elongated construction with one or more naves inside. No, San Vitale has an octagonal plan, repeated inside by an octagonal colonnade that creates a nave that conveys the idea of ​​circularity, without beginning, without end. It’s hard not to be amazed when you enter the church. The building shows all its power and magnificence. The mosaics tell stories from the Bible and the Justinian. This was the only way to get the biblical message to the illiterate, practically large comics made with small tiles of colored stone and with the use of pure gold. I hope you can add this Italian city to your travel plans, even if I understand that planning a visit to Italy is not easy, too many artistic and archaeological beauties to see, not to mention the naturalistic ones.
Photo 2: church of San Vitale in Ravenna, exterior
Photo 3: church of San Vitale in Ravenna, the entrance
Photo 4: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, the presbytery with the Christ Pantocrator and above the Lamb symbol of Christ.
Photo 5: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, the dome with a 17th-century fresco a little out of place.
Photo 6: The chapel of San Vitale in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna. Many think it is a baptismal font, but following excavations carried out at the beginning of the twentieth century, the primitive church was found, built in the place of martyrdom.
Photo 7: The women’s gallery of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna where women attended religious services
Photo 8: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, the apse
Photo 9: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, the apse with the hospitality of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac, Book of the Genesis of the Bible. note the manufacture of the capitals with horses
Photo 10: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Abel and the priest Melchizedek
Photo 11: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, the Empress Theodora and her entourage
Photo 12: The mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, the Empress Theodora and her entourage
Photo 13: Impossible not to remain open-mouthed and always with your head up in front of this masterpiece
Photo 14: In Ravenna we also found the tomb of the Supreme Poet Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine Comedy
