ITALY ceremonial procession of martyrs and virgins, saints and angels. Just outside the ‘city of mosaics’ we will visit the ancient port of Classe, founded by Augustus, to view the huge Basilica of Sant’Apollinare with its exceptional mosaics rich in gold and turquoise. While here, we will have an opportunity to stop at the site’s excellent new museum, which takes visitors on a journey back in time to explore the origins of Ravenna and Classe.
Roman & Byzantine Ravenna March 15–19, 2021 from £1295 per person | with Andrew Wilson
Accommodation is in Ravenna’s four-star Hotel Bisanzio, situated in a quiet area of the city just a few steps from San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Mosaic of St Lawrence in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
• The ‘city of mosaics’ welcomes us for a five-day tour brimming with some of the most impressive early Christian monuments in the world • Stand opposite Ravenna’s earliest mosaics in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, including an intense portrayal of the martyrdom of St Lawrence • The ancient port of Classe, founded by Augustus, awes us with its immense Basilica of Sant’Apollinare, shimmering with gold and turquoise Today a small, tranquil town of cobbled streets, Ravenna was once one of the Mediterranean’s most illustrious cities. The final capital of the Western Roman Empire, Ravenna served as the seat of Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, before the Byzantines transformed the city into one of Europe’s foremost centres of art and culture. Ravenna’s surviving collection of early Christian monuments and mosaics is without parallel in Christendom, a beguiling blend of Greco-Roman tradition and Christian iconography. At the heart of this opulent legacy 22
This tour will be led by Andrew Wilson, BA, BD, FSAScot. Andrew studied archaeology then theology before working overseas as an archaeologist, specialising in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics. lies the Basilica of San Vitale, begun during the Ostrogoths’ rule and finished under Justinian, where the glittering mosaic portraiture of Justinian and his wife Theodora capture the essence of Byzantium: the emperor, set against a flat, gold background, is resplendent in imperial purple, a gold paten in his outstretched hand, a halo encircling his scintillating crown. The seemingly humble Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, erected a century before San Vitale, boasts Ravenna’s earliest mosaics, including a vivid portrayal of the martyrdom of St Lawrence as he approaches the red-hot grid-iron. Breathtaking, too, is the interior of the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, erected by Theodoric and later reconsecrated under Byzantine rule: the twin nave mosaics depict a sparkling
© GALLA PLACIDIA. CC BY-SA 3.0
Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note this tour is conducted primarily on foot from the hotel. While coffee breaks will be provided at suitable intervals, the majority of visits are an hour long with few opportunities to sit down, and participants should therefore be comfortable walking and standing for a minimum of 60 minutes. Day 1 Flight from London Heathrow to Bologna. Transfer to Ravenna for four nights at Hotel Bisanzio. Welcome and evening talk: The Church Architecture of Ravenna. Day 2 Morning talk: Dante in Ravenna followed by 5th century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (exceptional late antiquity mosaics), Basilica of San Vitale (famous mosaics of Justinian and Theodora), National Museum of Ravenna (archaeological objects from early Christian and Byzantine periods), cathedral, Dante Museum and tomb, Archiepiscopal Museum and Neonian Baptistery (outstanding early Christian mosaics). Day 3 Morning talk: Church Mosaics of Ravenna followed by Arian Baptistery (built by Theodoric), Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo (splendid frieze of martyrs), 7th century Domus of the Stone Carpets (beautiful floor mosaics), return visits to Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and San Vitale. Day 4 Morning: excursion to 11th century Abbey of Pomposa (interior repainted in 14th century by Vitale de Bologna). Afternoon: Mausoleum of Theodoric and ancient port of Classe for Basilica of Sant’Apollinare (gold and turquoise mosaics) and optional visit to the new museum. Day 5 Flight from Bologna to London Heathrow. Cost of £1295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, one lunch, dinner with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £95, double room for single use supplement £145. TOUR CODE: RAV121
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