Ravenna

Last Friday, we took a day trip to Ravenna with the group. I didn’t realize until a few days before that I had studied the famous mosaics of Ravenna in my medieval art history class at UCLA. There are two important buildings in the city. One is the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and the other is the basilica of San Vitale. Both contain beautifully preserved Byzantine mosaics. Inside the mausoleum, there are four notable ones. On the ceiling of the entranceway there is a representation of heaven in blue tiles. The dome contains a cross in the center to signify Christ. Four images in the four corners symbolize the Evangelists: Matthew the angel, Mark the lion, Luke the ox, and John the eagle. On the far wall, there is a mosaic of St. Lawrence the martyr, while the opposing side has a picture of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Commissioned by Galla Placidia, the daughter of a Roman Emperor, it is probably one of the earliest buildings to have a female patron. The basilica of San Vitale contains several mosaics of the emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. They are meant to represent the unification of church and state. Justinian, of course, stands in front of everyone, even the bishop. As with many works of art, it is impossible to understand the impact these mosaics have in person. There is definitely a presence inside the basilica, whether it is divine or historical.

After the church, we had long, relaxing lunch. The first plate was a simple pasta and tomato sauce. Next, they served us the separate parts of a piadina: the bread, the salumi, and the squacquerone cheese. We finished the meal with an espresso (naturally). Then, with our stomachs filled and our minds a bit…looser, we made our way to the tomb of THE Italian writer. Though Dante was born in Florence, he died and remains in Ravenna. We read the first canto of the Inferno in his honor.

Afterward, we had about an hour before the train left. Well, five of us California girls decided that we needed to see the water. On the map, it didn’t seem so far. However, after walking for about 20 minutes, we asked for directions. The girl told us that the beach was 8 km away! (8 km = 5 miles). Heartbroken, we returned to the park in front of the train station, where we met up with the other members of the group. 

Despite the last hour, the trip to Ravenna was an exciting experience for me as an art history student. I had no particular interest in the mosaics when I studied them at school, but seeing them in person gave me a real sense of awe.