The
other site that we had to book yesterday was the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and
we had chosen 10:10 for our visit. Interesting but certainly not spectacular
from the outside, the interior of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was a
revelation. Beautiful early 5th century mosaics cover the ceiling
and walls down to head height. These are the oldest preserved mosaics in
Ravenna but the colours are deep and bright and the mosaics look as though they
could have been laid yesterday. Because of the limit on numbers in the
mausoleum, our time inside was limited but it gave us time to admire the
workmanship of those ancient mosaicists.
We moved on to San Vitale, also free with our pass and in the same grounds as
Galla Placidia. Unlike the mausoleum, the basilica’s exterior is impressive and
entering the Basilica was a real ‘Wow!’ moment. Huge amounts of those wonderful
mosaics on the high ceilings above elegant columns and arches. As with all of
the other early Christian mosaics that we have seen in Ravenna, gold leaf
covered tesserae really catch the light. They also used different marble to
give really bright colours in the mosaic. However, I was really interested in
the floor mosaics that most visitors take little notice of. I am currently
laying a replica Roman mosaic at Avalon Archaeology in Somerset and was keen to
see the designs used here. It was good to see that there were very similar
designs to those used in Somerset in Roman times.
Yesterday, the lady in the Tourist Information Office told us that today is a
national holiday - the celebration of the liberation of Italy from the Nazis
and Fascism. As a result, some of the sites are free today and she told us of
three that we might want to visit. What she didn’t mention was that the
National Museum was also free but Jane overheard someone being told that it was
free when we were in the bookshop buying some guidebooks. We had intended to
visit the museum on another day but decided that we should do it now. A very
good museum and with, unsurprisingly, lots of Roman carvings and other finds.
On then to the Arian Baptistry, another very small site with a beautiful mosaic
in the domed ceiling.
Our 24 hours in the camperstop we nearly up and we returned to the motorhome to
drive the coast. We decided that we had time to call in at the Basilica of St.
Apollinare Nuovo in Classe, another UNESCO World Heritage site, which is on the
outskirts of Ravenna. Another very impressive site with more of those lovely
mosaics.
After a busy day of sightseeing, it was time to relax at Camping Pioboni at
Marina di Ravenna.
Photos: Part of the mosaic in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia complete with an
alabaster window; Detail of one of the Galla Placidia mosaics; A scallop shell
mosaic on the floor of San Vitale; The camperstop at Piazza Della Resistenza;
The interior of the Basilica of St. Apollinare Nuovo in Classe.
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