Mosaics

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We had a bit of a wander around the tiny town this morning. Although cars do get into the houses, the streets are all only just wide enough for one car and the turns are very tight. Still, it does not deter the Italians from their fast driving pace!



We are staying in Ravenna for the next couple of nights so we decided to have a look around. The Basilica of Sant’Appolinaire in Classe was built in about 500-550AD and is a classic example of an early Christian basilica with its central nave and aisles each side. It has been exceptionally maintained and the mosaics in the apse are simply beautiful. The colours still shine vibrantly after nearly 1600 years. In the aisles, the carved marble sarcophagi of the archbishops stand, dating from around 550AD to 800AD. The oldest are ornate works of art while the later ones become much less decorated and the carvings more simple. It really shows the progression of the ‘Dark Ages’ and the loss of so much talent and knowledge.

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