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| Ravenna street Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016 |
Ravenna
turned out to be a breath of fresh air, very few tourists, and a sleepy and semi-closed town
because of Mother’s Day. Few restaurants were open, museums, and churches. Even
the Basilica of San Francesco was closed for siesta. Italians love their lengthy
siesta; I don’t know how they get anything accomplished when they work so few
hours every day in the service sector.
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| Jazz band in front of San Vitale Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016 |
As soon as
we turned the corner for Basilica of San Vitale, a jazz band was entertaining
people on the street right in front of it. The saxophone players clad in red
shirts and blue jeans were part of the 2016 Ravenna Jazz Festival, the 43rd
edition, May 2-14.
Ravenna is an
inland city in the state of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, connected to the
Adriatic Sea by the Candiano Canal. Although small, its significance to Western
Civilization is evident in its rich history.
Ravenna was
the capital of the Western Roman Empire from 402 A.D. until 476 A.D. when the
Roman Empire of the West collapsed under the siege of barbarian king Odoacer
who “proclaimed himself king of Italy.”
Italians
consider the origins of Ravenna as “lost in legend,” probably inhabited by
Umbrians and then Etruscans. Evidence shows that in the second century B.C., the
Po Valley was colonized by Rome and Ravenna became part of the Roman Republic
in 89 B.C.
Back then
Ravenna had houses built on piles on several sandy islands in a lagoon. Julius
Caesar is believed to have assembled his soldiers in Ravenna in 49 B.C. before
crossing the Rubicon.
Emperor
Augustus established the military port at Classe in 31 B.C. Classe was 4 km
east south-east of Ravenna, near the head of the Adriatic coast. It maintained
its strategic location for almost 500 years as a military and commercial port.
Classe probably derived its name from the Latin word classis, fleet.
Emperor
Trajan built a 70 km long aqueduct in Ravenna at the beginning of the second
century. According to Birley, when Germanic settlers took possession of Ravenna
during a revolt, Marcus Aurelius stopped bringing any more barbarians into
Italy and banished those who had previously been brought there.
Ravenna had
50,000 inhabitants when Emperor Honorius transferred the capital of the Western
Empire from Milan to Ravenna in 402 A.D. The transfer took place because
Ravenna was seen as easily defensible since it was surrounded by swamps, and it
had Porto di Classe connection to the
Eastern Roman Empire.
The
Visigoths did not care about Ravenna’s defensible location, King Alaric
bypassed it and sacked Rome in 410 and took Galla Placidia, daughter of Emperor
Theodosius I, hostage.
When Theodoric conquered Ravenna in 493 A.D., he is said
to have killed Odoacer with his own hands. Theodoric built not just his palace
church Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and the Arian cathedral now named Santo Spirito
and Baptistery, but also his own Mausoleum outside the walls.
Theodoric and Odoacer were Arian Christians who co-existed in peace with
the Latins who were Orthodox. Orthodox bishops made their mark on Ravenna but
only Capella Arcivescovile survived.
Roman citizens in Theodoric’s kingdom could follow Roman law and judicial
system, while the Goths lived under their own laws and customs. When a throng
burned down the synagogues of Ravenna in 519, Theodoric forced the town to
rebuild at its own expense.
Theodoric died in 526 and the last representative of his line was a woman.
The subsequent gothic rulers in Italy were not as successful as Theodoric. The
Orthodox Christian Byzantine Emperor Justinian opposed the Ostrogoth rule and
their brand of Arian Christianity. His general, Belisarius, invaded Italy in
540 and conquered Ravenna which became the seat of the Byzantine government in
Italy in 554.
Monuments were built during this period for sixty years around Ravenna and
Classe; the Basilica of San Vitale, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe,
and parts of San Michele in Africisco still survive today.
It is believed that Pope Adrian I had authorized Charlemagne to take
anything portable from Ravenna that he liked, such as Roman columns, mosaics,
statues, and other treasures that were then shipped to his capital in Aachen.
Dante's Tomb exterior
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
The famous poet Dante was exiled in Ravenna and died there in 1321. His Neo-Classical
tomb is located on the side of the garden of Basilica di San Francesco. The
elaborate tomb is facing a paved street. It almost seems out of place as if it
was dropped there by mistake.
Ravenna continued to be ruled by many, including Venice and various legates
of the Pope as part of the Papal States. It was even sacked by the French in
1512 during the Holy League wars.
The former
port became covered with silt and returned to its marshy state until modern era
reconstruction when the Candiano Canal was widened and trade was brought back to
the city.
“The city was damaged in a tremendous flood in May 1636. Over the next 300
years, a network of canals diverted nearby rivers and drained nearby swamps,
thus reducing the possibility of flooding and creating a large belt of
agricultural land around the city.”
With eight
UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Ravenna has many well-preserved late Roman and
Byzantine architectural gems.
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| San Vitale Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016 |
The Basilica di San Vitale was founded by
Bishop Ecclesio (522-532) after his trip to Constantinople with Pope John I in
525, a year before Theodoric’s death. Legend has it that San Vitale was a “Roman
soldier martyred during the early Christian persecutions.” It is considered “The
most glorious example of Byzantine art in the west.” Giuliano Argentario, a
wealthy banker living in Ravenna, financed the basilica’s construction.
The eastern
influence is so strong, the basilica is octagon shaped, with a dome, eight
columns and arches, without the traditional three naves. Bishop Maximian, who consecrated the basilica
in April 548, appears in one of the mosaics. The splendor of the mosaics, the
marbled mosaic floors, the intricate columns, the beautiful greens, the stories
depicted on the ceiling and the walls, the glittery gold, the light shining
down onto the marbled floors transported me into that time for a brief moment.
San Vitale interior Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
San Vitale mosaic Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
San Vitale mosaics Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
Mosaic of Justinian I in San Vitale Photo: Wikipedia
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| Galla Placidia empty sarcophagus Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016 |
Across the
courtyard from San Vitale is the Mausoleum
of Galla Placidia. It is said that she had commissioned its construction. Built
in the second quarter of the 5th century, this extremely
well-preserved monument in the shape of a Latin cross, never housed the mortal
remains of Galla Placidia. According to the museum archives, she was buried in
Rome in 450 A.D. in the Theodosian Mausoleum near St. Peter’s.
The dark interior
of the mausoleum has vaults and lunettes covered in mosaics with ancient Roman
traditions, no eastern influence here. The motif and the atmosphere seem more
spiritual with its midnight blue sky on the ceiling. There is some diffused
light flowing through the alabaster windows. The dominant theme is Christian
redemption hence the belief that the building was intended as a mausoleum.
According to
the museum archives, “The dome is decorated with concentric circles of golden
stars on an indigo background, and the cross in the center symbolizes Christ’s
triumph over death and a promise of salvation to the faithful. The long arm of
the cross points towards east (Salvation will come from the East).” Golden
angels, the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and some of the Apostles
like Peter and Paul are recognizable, dressed in white togas like Roman senators.
Galla Placidia Mausoleum ceiling
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
A pair of
doves and a pair of deer are drinking from a vase of crystal clear water and
from blue waters, a symbol of “souls who drink from the waters of true faith
and eternal life.”
There are
three Greek marble tombs which some scholars believe, were not placed in the
mausoleum until the 14th century.
The central tomb
is known as Galla Placidia’s; it looks unfinished, and has no decorations or
inscriptions.
The left arm
has a 5th century tomb believed to be Galla Placidia’s second
husband, Constantinus III. On the right arm of the mausoleum is the 6th century tomb believed to belong to Galla Placidia’s son, Valentinian III.
Theodoric Mausoleum Photo: Wikipedia
The two
story ten-sided structure was built from large, square blocks of Istrian stone
secured with iron cramps. The roof is a circular cover made from one block of
Istrian stone, 11 meters in diameter, one meter thick, and weighing 500 tons.
There is a
porphyritic urn in the middle of the room once thought to contain the remains
of Theodoric. However, the archivists believe that “his body was probably
removed when the city fell into Byzantine hands, and the churches were taken
over by the orthodox Catholics.”
The ceiling
is slanted on one side; legend says that Theodoric knew of the prediction that
he would be struck by lighting and, during a heavy storm he hid beneath the
great stone roof to protect himself. He was killed by lightning and the flash cracked
the roof. The crack, however, was likely caused during renovations.
Galla
Placidia, while at sea with her children during a terrible storm, returning
from Constantinople to Ravenna, made a vow to Saint Giovanni Evangelista that
she would build a church bearing his name if God spared them during the ferocious
storm. Thus San Giovanni Evangelista was
begun in 425. The church was renovated many times and was almost destroyed in a
bombing raid in 1944.
The Battistero degli Ariani (the Baptistery
of the Arians) was built in the late 5th century in front of the
church of Spirito Santo (formerly
known as Cattedrale degli Ariani)
during Theodoric’s rule when Arianism had become the court religion. The octagonal
building sunk more than two meters and no longer displays the original mosaics
except on the dome. The Catholics turned the baptistery into an oratory during
the second half of the 6th century.
An
Alexandrian presbyter named Arius, condemned by the Council of Nicaea (325),
advocated Arianism, a heretical doctrine. “Arius disputed the Christian
doctrine over the divine nature of the son of God, who was generated and
therefore not equal to the Father, thus denying the divinity of Christ.”
Neonian Baptistery Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
Neonian Baptistery Font
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
The Battistero degli Ortodossi (the
Baptistery of the Orthodox) or Neonian
Baptistery is Ravenna’s oldest ancient monuments. The simple, octagonal brick
building dates its construction in the late 4th or early 5th
century. The original entrance is actually three meters below the current
surface. The beautiful mosaics inside were made at the request of Bishop Neone
during the mid-fifth century, hence its name. In the middle, there is an octagonal
Greek marble and porphyry font, rebuilt in 1500.
Sant'Apollinare Nuovo Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
Sant'Apollinare Nuovo interior Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
Mosaics on
the left depict episodes from the life of Christ: Jesus multiplying the loaves
and the fishes; Jesus at the wedding Cana; Jesus heals the blind man of
Jericho; Jesus heals the sick; Jesus and the Good Samaritan at the well; the
raising of Lazarus; the widow’s mite; Jesus divides the sheep from the goats;
Jesus heals the palsied man at Capernaum; the healing of the madman; and the
healing of the palsied man at Bethesda.
Mosaics on
the right display scenes about the passion and resurrection of Christ (without
the crucifixion): Jesus and the Apostles at the Last Supper; Jesus on the Mount
of Olives; Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss; Christ taken for judgment; Christ
before the synedrium; the announcement of Peter’s denial; Peter denies Christ;
Judas repents; Christ before Pontius Pilate; Christ ascend Calvary with Simon
the Cyrenian; the resurrection of Christ; the disciples of Emmaus; and the doubting
Thomas.
Sant’Apollinare in Classe is a magnificent red brick monument
consecrated by Bishop Maximian in 549, but built at the behest of Bishop
Ursicino. Like San Vitale, the building was financed by the rich banker with a
very fitting name, Giuliano Argentario. The basilica “remains one of the most
expressive examples of Byzantine art, a veritable ‘house of prayer,’ the purest
form of ancient Christian basilica.” The mosaics and the paintings are
magnificent for the time period. There is a crypt that was built in the 9th
century. Below the high altar there is a
“Greek marble sarcophagus which was restructured in 1511 and which originally
contained the mortal remains of Sant’Apollinare before these were transferred
to the high altar.”
Ten Greek
marble sarcophagi line the lateral naves – these are the bishops of Ravenna. The
sarcophagi offer an interesting lesson in sculpture development from 5th-8th
century.
Ravenna's Duomo Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
The Duomo is Ravenna’s first cathedral
known as basilica ursiana, built by
Bishop Orso at the beginning of the 5th century, dedicated to the resurrection
of the Lord. The only fragments left of the original building are the transenae which are preserved in the
archiepiscopal museum. There are two urns preserved inside; one was used in
1321 as the tomb of Archbishop Rinaldo da Concorreggio and the other as the
tomb of San Barbaziano, Galla Placidia confessor and advisor, whose “mortal
remains were placed here in 1658 but he died in the second half of the 5th
century.
Chapel of San Andrea mosaic ceiling
Photo: Ileana Johnson
Bishop Maximian's Ivory Throne
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
The Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel of San
Andrea contains, among many collections, the ivory throne used as a liturgical
seat of Bishop Maximian who consecrated both basilicas of San Vitale and Sant’Apollinare
in Classe. He served as Bishop of Ravenna around the middle of the 6th
century. It is considered a “masterpiece of early Christian sculpture.”
Dante's Tomb
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
The monument
erected to Dante is a small temple
in neo-classical style, built at the order of the Legate Luigi Valenti Gonzaga
who commissioned it in 1780 from the architect Camillo Morigia. According to archives, Dante Alighieri was
buried under a small portico in the church of San Francesco located now behind
the monument.
Guido
Novello da Polenta had every intention of building a monument for the poet but
his rule ended a few months after Dante’s death. Captain Bernardo Bembo commissioned
the urn and asked Pietro Lombardo to add a portrait to the tomb which is still
found inside. Bembo had the tomb inscribed with the following Latin epitaph
coined by Bernardo Canaccio in 1327:
“I sang of the rights of the
monarchy, of the heavens and of the waters of Flegetonte, until I met my mortal
destiny. But my soul was welcomed in better places and more blessed still
reached the stars and the Creator. Here in this urn lies Dante, exiled from his
native land, born to Florence, an unloving mother.”
According to
archives, there was a bizarre fight in 1519 over Dante’s remains. Pope Leo X
gave Florentines permission to take Dante’s body back to Florence. When they got to Ravenna, “they found an
empty burial chamber. During the night, the Franciscan Friars had made a hole
in the wall from the monastery and had carried the body away, hiding it in
another monastery nearby. Later, in 1677, Padre Antonio Santi had Dante’s body
placed in a wooden casket engraved with the poet’s name and the date of his
death. When the friars had to leave the monastery in 1810, as a result of the
Napoleonic laws, the small box was hidden beneath an old gateway near
Branccioforte (not far from the site of the present tomb).” The casket was
found in 1865 during excavations and Dante’s remains were placed in the
original urn.
San Francesco courtyard
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
Basilica di San Francesco sign
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
The last
stop was a visit to San Francesco.
This ancient church was built in the 5th century by Bishop Neone and
dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul. According to archivists, nothing
remains of the original church which was rebuilt in 10th-11th
century and renamed San Pietro Maggiore. When the church was handed over to
Franciscan friars, it was renamed St. Francis in 1261.
San Francesco Basilica façade
Photo: Wikipedia
San Francesco crypt with swimming fish
Photo: Ileana Johnson
Side view of crypt below the high altar
Photo: Ileana Johnson
The most curious
feature of this church is its 10th century crypt which is clearly
visible through a center window and two side windows below the high altar. The
archives describe the crypt as having been designed like an “oratory and held
up by small pillars. The floor is covered in mosaic fragments from the original
church. The crypt is situated much lower than ground level and is consequently
subject to flooding.”
I found it
strange that the flooded crypt is stocked with fish who are swimming over the
preserved mosaics in the darkness. The only light comes from the occasional
tourist like me who might put one euro in the vending machine and the flooded crypt
with crystal clear water, the mosaics, and the columns would light up for three
minutes, enough for all the nearby visitors to take photographs.
I left the
church with a feeling of loss and sadness and I could not explain why. The
beautiful garden to the left of the church was covered in greenery, in stark
contrast to the centuries-old aged brick.
Passatori grill feast fit for a king
Photo: Ileana Johnson 2016
We were
really hungry but everything seemed closed. On the way to the car, we found a
mom and pop restaurant called Passatori
with faded pictures of plates of grilled meats and vegetables in the window. We
went inside; the restaurant was full of loud Italians and Germans from two
separate groups, no sign of any American but us. They were closing soon and I
asked them in Italian if they would feed us since we were so hungry. They
agreed with a frown, charged us each four euros cover because the area was not
touristy enough, and seated us at the worst table in the restaurant, in a
corner, by the only opened window. As it turned out, it was a blessing in
disguise as the window provided much needed cool air – there was no air conditioning
running yet.
I speak
fluent Italian and my husband and I must look German because on several
occasions German tourists approached us for directions speaking German, but Dave’s
red baseball cap with his college logo gave us away. The cap came in handy when
it connected us briefly with other Ohio State fans who were visiting Venice.
No matter
how much we smiled, we could not endear ourselves to the serving staff at Passatori who did not say a word to us after
we ordered, treating us like dirt under their feet. The other customers around looked
at us as if we had landed from the planet Mars. But the food was divine, just
like the discolored pictures showed in the window; the table was covered with
crisp and clean linens, and the local beer was delicious. Dave was in grilled
meat and vegetables heaven!
We left
Ravenna after we hobbled back to our free parking, certainly unusual for Italy
where nothing is free. It felt good to sit down in the car and rest my very
painful knees. We just did not know how long we would have to drive to get to
our next destination, Venice.
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