An Introduction to the City of

Ravenna, Italy

Ravenna, Italy is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

It is sometimes referred to as

Italy’s Byzantium.

It was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire until 476 A.D., and in 751 A.D., also became the

capital of the Kingdom of the Lombards.

These days, Ravenna is mostly known for hosting the annual Ravenna Festival

which is one of Italy’s most prominent

events for classical music and theater.

It is also famous for being the place where the poet

Dante is buried. He lived in Ravenna for 20 years, and it was

also here that he wrote his

masterpiece, the Divine Comedy.

The main stars of the show, however, would be the Byzantine and Christian mosaics that can be found at

various locations within the city, all of which are considered the best outside of Istanbul.

The main points of interest in the city are, first and foremost, the World Heritage Sites:

• Baptistry of Neon • Mausoleum of

Galla Placidia • Arian Baptistry • Archiepiscopal

Chapel

• Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

• Mausoleum of Theoderic

• Basilica of San Vitale • Basilica of

Sant'Apollinare in Classe

All of these structures are at least 1500 years old, and each one of them contains beautiful and fantastic

examples of Byzantine mosaics.

Other points of interest include:

The Ravenna National Museum

which houses 14th century frescoes as

well as Roman and Byzantine

artifacts

The Dante Museum

Features the role played in Dante’s life by the city of

Ravenna, where the exiled poet spent his last days. Focus of the exhibition is

the iconography of Dante, exemplified by busts, paintings, medals and

icons

The Museo Arcivescovile di Ravenna

Where relics of early

Christian Ravenna are preserved.

Teatro Alighieri, Palazzo Mauro de Andre, and the

Basilicas

Where various cultural events such as

theatrical shows and operas are staged.

For those who would like to do a bit of shopping, there is an antiques market

held on the third weekend of every month.

Travelling to Ravenna

By Train:

Ravenna can be reached directly by train if you’re

coming from either Bologna,

Rimini, or Ferrara

It is also easily accessible by bus

and by car.

By air, there is a small airport in the

neighboring town of Forli, about 20

kilometers away from Ravenna

Take note if driving:

The city caters mostly to

pedestrians, and a lot of the locals travel by bicycle or on foot. The city’s historic

center is a pedestrian zone.

There is a combo-ticket available that grants you access to a majority of the attractions, so make sure

to ask your travel agent or tour organizer about getting one for you.

Ravenna offers a respite and a refreshing change of pace for those who want to get away for a while, so the next time you plan your trip to Italy, try adding it to your list of places to go

to!

Presented by:

For more information about Italy and travel to Italy, visit our website

www.touritalynow.com

or call our travel experts at

800.955.4418