VISIT RAVENNA

A holiday on the beaches of Lido di Savio offers a great cultural opportunity: visit Ravenna, the city of the mosaics. For many years the monuments of Ravenna have been included in the World Heritage List of Unesco: the list of monuments which constitute the artistic heritage of humanity.
 
The beauty of the basilicas of the mausoleums and baptisteries of Ravenna is such that it belongs to the history of humanity, belongs to the whole human race. Visit Ravenna is an unforgettable experience. Below we point out a list of the most important places to see in Ravenna.

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Is a small building in the form of a Latin cross, built by the Empress Galla Placidia between 425 and 450 A.D. Inside is completely covered with mosaics, in colour atmospheres that simulate a delicate soft and nocturnal atmosphere. It should be noted in particular the great cross of stars on the vault and the famous representation of the Good Shepherd in the arch above the entrance.

The Basilica of San Vitale

Built in several stages from 526 to 527 the Basilica of San Vitale today is probably the most important monument of Ravenna. Its historical and artistic value is inestimable. The circular plan of the Church offers visitors an extraordinary glance on the apse, which preserves intact the wonderful mosaics made to celebrate the triumph of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. The two famous scenes of Justinian with his entourage and Theodora with ministers and matrons lie opposite each other on the sides of the main altar. To be noted are also sculptures and relief of the capitals and the labyrinth partly preserved on the mosaic floor.

The Mausoleum of Theodoric

The Mausoleum was built around the year 520 A.D. by Theodoric as his funeral monument. It is one of the most famous monuments of the late ancient period, characterized by a circular plan on two floors and made solely with white marble from Istria. Today it is surrounded by a green park, outside the walls of the historic centre. Surprising is the cap of the roof, made with a single monolith of marble with a diameter of 11 meters and 300 tonnes heavy.

Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

The large basilica was built at the behest of Theodoric at the beginning of the VI century. It was a place of Arian worship, but after the conquests of Justinian it was transformed into a Catholic Basilica. For this reason, inside you can admire the mosaics from different moments of the history of Ravenna. Sant'Apollinare Nuovo presents the widest mosaic surface preserved from the late ancient times. Famous are the two parallel processions of the Holy Martyrs and of the Holy Virgins on the walls of the main nave.

Saint Apollinare in Classe

It is the nearest monument to Lido Di Savio because it is located outside  the centre of Ravenna, in the place where in Roman times there was the port of the city. Today the mouth of the Po has made the coast wider by a few kilometres and the basilica is surrounded by countryside. It contains marvellous mosaics, among which the decoration of the apse stands out. On a golden background stands solemn the figure of Bishop Saint Apollinare.