Ravenna: Battistero Neoniano

… also known as the Orthodox Baptistery 🌀 for us: another ticketed-site for the UNESCO-listed mosaics of Ravenna.

Thought to have originally been a Roman bath (its floor now nearly 10 feet below the current floor), the octagonal baptistery dates back to the early 5th century when Ravenna became the capital of the Western Roman Empire … making it one of the oldest early-Christian monuments in Ravenna.

The building was converted to a baptistery on the orders of Bishop Ursus; the mosaic decorations were added in the late 5th century by Bishop Neon … hence the name by which the baptistery is commonly known now. It is considered the best preserved of all similar structures built in the ancient worlds of both the east and the west during the 4th-5th centuries.

The decorations that circle the interior consist of marble, topped by stucco, and surmounted by mosaics. The whole thing is capped with an amazing dome of mosaics … rich in color and detail. As would be appropriate for a baptistery, in the center of it all is a medallion showing Jesus being baptized by St. John the Baptist in the River Jordan. It is generally accepted that this mosaic of the baptism of Jesus is the oldest such depiction found inside a monument.

Due to the small size of the building, and its popularity, visits inside are in small groups; limited to 5 minutes. Way too short to truly appreciate the workmanship of the mosaics and study the details of the scenes one gazes upon. So much so that, both Mui and I opted for fewer photos than usual to enjoy the experience while we were there … be in the moment, if you will.

When I was reading up on the mosaics at the Neonian Baptistery, I came across a comment by Carl Jung. It is said that he was so struck by the beauty of these mosaics that he described seeing them as a “… wonderful hallucination.” He wasn’t far off … though I would probably use the words colorful fantasy instead.

(For those who would like more information about the mosaics: https://www.ravennamosaici.it/en/neonian-baptis….)Leggi altro