Monday, February 3, 2020

Ravishing Ravenna

 Annamaria on Monday


Ravenna, which is south of Venice, and close to the Adriatic coast, has been a capital city of The Western Roman Empire and then still a capital under the Ostrogoths, the Byzantines, and the Lombards.


Thanks to that illustrious past, it now boasts eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, that are sights worth seeing.  The mosaics, dating from the Third to the Sixth century AD, are miraculously beautiful.  Thrilling to see.

Dante is buried there, so I had a chance to pay homage to him.  And to visit the latest archeological discovery, the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (Home of the Carpets of Stone), the remains of Roman villas, discovered 1993 when the builder of an apartment block was excavating for an intended parking garage.  But that's Italy for you.  You never know when a construction project will reveal another fascinating part of the patrimony of humanity.

Here is what I saw pared down as viciously as I could bear.

Basilica di S. Apollinare Nuovo


This image an all of those below are made with tiny pieces of stone.





Dante's Tomb

 


Basilica di San Vitale








Proof that, in Italy, you even walk on works of art.






Windows glazed with alabaster.








     Battistero Neoniano







San Eufemia/Domus di Tappeti di Pietra







Battistero degli Ariani



Tutti Splendidi!

7 comments:

  1. Right your are, Michael. And my poor photos don’t begin to capture it. Walking into those spaces is breath stopping.

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  2. It's like I'm back in my college Art History courses. Thanks, AmA!

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    1. Gee EvKa, if I had known I would have ... No I know better than to lecture this crowd. I just want people to see how beautiful the sights are and maybe inspire them to go have a look for themselves.

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  3. I was there, and it was just that ravishing. One of my peak unforgettable travel experiences. Love - love! - your photos.

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    1. Thanks, Triss. I have to say, having seen them in person, my photos seem woefully inadequate. Standing inside the buildings, I felt as if I were inhabiting a magical jewel box.

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  4. Talk about creating art "stoned." WOW. Thanks for taking me back. Sis. It's been way too many years since I've been there...or to Venice.

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