Before leaving Vancouver, some of our friends recommended that we take a side trip to Ravenna, a city a stone's throw from Italy's east coast, and home to eight Unesco World Heritage buildings, The Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna.
I have to admit that on our travels, Brenda and I have visited so many churches, basilicas, temples, mosques, and cathedrals, we've just about reached our saturation point. Naturally, it's always wondrous to marvel at the craftsmanship and artistry, all of which was created centuries or millennia ago, without the aid of modern machinery and power tools. But, let's face it, the subject matter is pretty limited and, as such, the artwork all begins to look the same after a while.
However, Ravenna provided us with a take on the subject matter, the likes of which we had never seen before, whose beauty held us spellbound for our entire visit.
What makes Ravenna so special? In one word: mosaics. They are literally everywhere you look, and, because of this high concentration of mosaics, the city has been associated with workshops and schools teaching the art, and is often given titles like the "capital of mosaics".
To see the intricate detail and vibrant colours in the artwork, all created with carefully shaped and positioned stones, ceramic and glass, truly boggles the mind. And, given the quantity and quality of the mosaics, it's hard to imagine how many man-hours of labour went into their production.
Rather than bore readers with a history lesson on Ravenna, I'll only say that the earliest archeological relics here date to the 5th century BC, and, in 402 AD, it replaced Rome as the new capital of the Western Roman Empire. The most impressive religious buildings and mosaics go back to the 5th and 6th centuries.
Roch PelletierSadly, the pictures don’t do it justice, but you get the idea. Unlike many Italian cities, this one is a little less popular with tourists, so lineups to visit the best sites were very short. Definitely worth a visit.
ItalyRavenna44°25’16” N 12°12’13” E
ItalyRavenna44°25’16” N 12°12’13” E
TravelerGreat description, Roch, as always. Makes me want to visit it. Another bucket list entry!
Roch PelletierSadly, the pictures don’t do it justice, but you get the idea. Unlike many Italian cities, this one is a little less popular with tourists, so lineups to visit the best sites were very short. Definitely worth a visit.