Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Basilica of San Vitale
Ravenna, Italy
A 6th-century church ablaze with Byzantine mosaics.
City · Italy · Emilia-Romagna
Ravenna
A small city whose early Christian churches glitter with some of the world's finest mosaics.
about 5 h
For storytellers
Why Ravenna matters
Ravenna was once a capital of the late Roman world, and the proof is hidden inside plain brick churches. Step inside and the walls explode in gold, green and blue mosaics, with saints and emperors staring back across fifteen centuries. Eight early Christian monuments are on the UNESCO list. After the churches, the town is a relaxed cycling city with cafes and the tomb of the poet Dante.
Talking points
- Eight early Christian monuments here are UNESCO-listed.
- The mosaics date from the 5th and 6th centuries.
- Ravenna was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
- The poet Dante is buried here.
Free to read aloud or adapt in your video. Check facts that matter to you against an official source before you publish.
What to see in Ravenna
Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
Ravenna, Italy
A basilica whose nave walls are lined with long mosaic processions.
Also nearby
Within about 40 km, closest first.