 Ravenna,
the capital of the province of the same name in north-eastern Italy,
has a history stretching into the misty past. It was originally
situated on coastal lagoons, which later silted up. It is now a
low-lying plain near the confluence of the Ronco and Montone rivers,
and has to rely on a canal to link it to the Adriatic Sea 10 km
away.
In a region known far and wide for antiquity and culture, Ravenna's
special claim to fame lies in its early Christian mosaics and monuments.
They stand as examples of great artistic traditions and have been
executed with such superior skill that they have won for Ravenna
a place on the UNESCO's list of protected World Heritage Sites.
 Though
Ravenna rose to fame under Rome, the first settlers of the region
are believed to have been Italic peoples who moved from Aquileia
about 1400 BC. Later, Etruscans settled there, followed by the Gauls.
The Romans brought it under their control in 191 BC and its main
importance was its status as a good port, one of the few in the
region. Emperor Augustus built the port of Classis just 5 km from
the city of Ravenna and it soon became a naval base for Rome. In
AD 402, Ravenna's consequence experienced a quantum leap. The Western
Roman Emperor, Honorious, compelled by the threat of barbarian invasions,
chose it as the seat of his court in preference to Rome. And so
it remained, till the Western Roman Empire was wiped out in 476
AD.
Ravenna's importance continued even after the fall of the Western
Roman Empire, when Italy's first "barbaric" ruler, Odoacer,
made it his capital. Odoacer surrendered it to the Ostrogothic king
Theuderic, who gave it the same status. In 540 Ravenna was occupied
by the great Byzantine general, Belisarius, and was subsequently
made the capital of the Imperial Exarchate.
 It
was during this period, from the 5th century to the 8th, which saw
various rulers establishing control over it, that the city gained
its most famous monuments. Ravenna's eminence as the capital of
the Western Roman Empire for two and a half centuries, and later,
as the main gateway from the sea to the Byzantine Empire, laid it
open to the richest of artistic and architectural influences. Unfortunately,
nothing much remains of the secular architecture of the times. The
port of Classis is no more to be seen. It was demolished in the
16th century, and history records that its columns were distributed
among various churches, and were even shipped to Venice.
 The
religious monuments dating back to that artistically lush period
have, however, fared much better than their secular counterparts.
Several, among them the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Neonian
Baptistery, the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the Arian Baptistery,
the Archiepiscopal Chapel, the Mausoleum of Theodoric, the Church
of San Vitale and the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe are
responsible for Ravenna's present status as a World Heritage Site.
The mausoleum of Galla Placidia dates back to the 5th century and
was built by Emperor Honorius' sister, whose name it takes. The
monument is built in the shape of a Greek cross, though the construction
style is Western. It has a cupola decorated with what are considered
the finest mosaics in the town. The mosaics, set against a blue
backgroud, depict Biblical figures and symbols. A young, beardless
and long-haired Christ stands over the door in the midst of a flock
of sheep. The building has three sarcophagi, with the largest believed
to have contained the embalmed body of Galla Placidia in a sitting
position, clad in her Imperial mantle. Unfortunately the contents
of the sarcophagus were destroyed by fire.
 The
Neonian Baptistery or San Giovanni in Fonte, which was dedicated
by Archbishop Neon (449-52), was built over the calidarium (warm
pool) at the erstwhile public Roman baths. The octagonal building,
like the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, is decorated with mosaics.
These examples of Byzantine art date back to the 5th century. Appropriate
to the building, the centre of the cupola shows the baptism of Christ.
Other figures represent the apostles and possibly the prophets.
The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe is noted for some ancient
examples of art. The decorative use of majolica made in the distinctive
round campanile here is considered to be the earliest such in Italy.
Construction of the Basilica was begun in 535 and it was consecrated
in 549. This church also has a fine apse mosaic of the Transfiguration
of Christ.
 The
current structure of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo stands
on a fourth century cathedral, the oldest in the land. Built by
Theuderic, it contains some mosaics thought to be among the oldest
examples of this kind of art form. It was rededicated in the 9th
century as Sant' Apollinare Nuovo when relics of Saint Apollinaris
were brought there. Though the apse and atrium were remodelled at
various times, the original mosaics on the lateral walls, twenty-four
columns, and an ambo were preserved. The mosaics depict the teachings,
miracles, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ and are of immense
archaeological and artistic value. The representations are a mixture
of the Biblical and the topical. They include a schematic representation
of Theuderic's palace, and virgins moving from Classis towards the
Madonna and Child. The basilica was destroyed in 1733, and rebuilt
immediately thereafter.
.  The
Mausoleum of Theodoric is another monument which won for Ravenna
its World Heritage status. The mausoleum, made of Istria stone,
was built in 520 by Theodoric himself as his future tomb. A single,
300-ton, 10-metre-diametre Istria stone functions as a roof for
the structure. Theodoric's remains were thought to have been buried
in a circular porphyry tub is set in the centre, but his remains
were removed during Byzantine rule.
 The
octagonal Church of San Vitale, the best representative of Byzantine
art in Ravenna, was begun by Bishop Ecclesius under the Ostrogothic
queen Amalasuntha (d. 535) and completed during the reign of the
Emperor Justinian. It was consecrated in 547. Built of marble, the
church however, has a terracotta dome. Its mosaics portray scenes
from the Old and New Testament as well as Byzantine rulers and leaders
of the Catholic church.
 Born
in 1452 the artist has given us piece of art works like Mona Lisa
and Last Supper. This artist and scientist can be truly termed as
ultimate Renaissance man. Painting is also fortified by Michelangelo
who was born in the year 1475. His works like the frescoes in the
Sistine chapel and statues like David and emotional Pieta could
not be appreciated in words. Sandro Botticelli’s work of painting
was however of different styles with series of mythological topics
including the Birth of Venus and Mars and Venus. 1483 saw Raphael
and the coming years saw wonders in the painting in various forms
including cartoons that one can see in the tapestries of the Sistine
chapel. Few others to mention would be Titian with his works like
Bacchus and Ariadne. the famous sculptor Donatello, the great architect
Brunelleschi, the bronze sculptor Ghiberti with his work like Gates
of Paradise and the great artist Giotto di Bondone.
 The
octagonal Church of San Vitale, the best representative of Byzantine
art in Ravenna, was begun by Bishop Ecclesius under the Ostrogothic
queen Amalasuntha (d. 535) and completed during the reign of the
Emperor Justinian. It was consecrated in 547. Built of marble, the
church however, has a terracotta dome. Its mosaics portray scenes
from the Old and New Testament as well as Byzantine rulers and leaders
of the Catholic church.
The cloisters of the church are home to Ravenna's National Museum
of Antiquities. They contain an important collection of classical
and Early Christian antiquities, such as inscriptions, icons, ceramics,
ivories and sarcophagi. The archiepiscopal palace of San Pietro
Crisologo, which has a square chapel embellished with mosaics, is
yet another important monument. Visit the Church of St. Francis
(San Francesco) to see the tomb of the world-famous Italian poet
Dante Alighieri.
Ravenna fell into the hands of various rulers down the ages, including
the Lombards, the Franks, noble family of da Polenta and even to
the French, but between times, it repeatedly came under the Popes
of Rome until it finally came under Papal rule after its recapture
from the French following the Battle of Ravenna, when the latter
seized it. In 1859, Ravenna proclaimed itself a part of the Kingdom
of Sardinia, which ultimately became the kingdom of Italy in 1861.
Ravenna is deals in petroleum and natural gas, fertilizers, synthetic
rubber and oilseeds, but its ancient monuments belie its commercial
present and stand witness to its artistic past.
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