…it’s R-a-v-e-n-n-a!

Ciao tutti,

My most recent viaggio was a day trip to the city of Ravenna this past Friday. This Romagnolo town is only about an hour train ride east of Bologna, very close to the Adriatic Sea. The other important aspect of Ravenna is that it’s incredibly old! Several of the landmarks in the city date back to around the 11^th century, and there are also many ancient Byzantine artifacts, ruins, and mosaics from even earlier centuries.

Even more incredible are the dazzling mosaics from the Byzantine era, especially those found in the Basilica di San Vitale (both on the walls above the altar as well as covering the floor in intricate patters):

A depiction of the Biblical story "Abraham sacrificing Isaac"

The church itself is also incredibly spectacular, with magnificent frescoes covering the non-mosaic walls:

Because of the beautiful Byzantine mosaics in the Basilicas, the city of Ravenna has become known for its mosaics, and there are several shops throughout the town that hand-make and sell various mosaic trinkets:

One thing that I was surprised to learn about Ravenna was that Dante Alighieri had died and is buried there. Most people assume that the great Italian poet is laid to rest in his birthplace of Florence, the city he loved and called home for so much of his life. However, his tomb is in Ravenna. It is beautiful, yes, but I was expecting a little more. I would think that Dante of all people would have a very extravagant tomb in a very central location within the city, but it seems a little tucked away. It’s actually kind of quaint when you see it:

The last place we visited before leaving Ravenna was the Basilica di San Francesco, a simple church behind which Dante’s tomb is located, but with an incredibly cool crypt which is covered in several inches of water! What’s more is that there’s fish swimming about! See for yourself:

Never a dull moment here in Italy!

Ciao for now,

Augusto