Byzantine in Italy: Ravenna

Ravenna is the most important center of Byzantium in the west. It is an architectural and artistic summary from the early times of Christianity to the present day.
Let's explore Ravenna with its architecture, sea, culture, food, bride ...
Grape ruby, indigo blue and navy blue, ecru with ecru, golden yellow with cardinal red, cherry blossom, or champagne purple… Who knows more colors in Ravenna mosaics. This is the most important center of Byzantium in the west. It is an architectural and artistic summary from the early times of Christianity to the present day. It is the cross stitch of the time. They say "don't die without seeing", they are among them!
Let's say you entered Ravenna not by sea, but by land or rail. But if you stop at Piazza del Popolo, the most important square of the city, and take a deep breath, you can feel the smell of the Adriatic Sea. There is a distance of 8-10 kilometers between the sea and the city, and a large channel connects the city and the sea. But Ravenna is one of the top commercial ports on the Adriatic Sea.
Many sources say that “Italy's Emilia-Romagna region is the largest populated municipality and the most important city in terms of history”.
It is also possible to start with the words of Spiro Kostof, one of the most important architectural historians of Istanbul and his generation: “There are two Istanbuls on earth that we can read with the history and architectural processes of the art of Byzantium and Christianity; the second is Ravenna. ”

The city walls are actually a natural sketch for those who will visit Ravenna. The inner face of the wall is like a sham after a period in art history.
For example, the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, built by Galla Placidia in the memory of Saint John, about 150 meters east of the historical walls, was not only one of the places where theater art changed after the ancient period; he is also a witness to new steps of classical music, with differentiating church music.

Because these walls take us to the 4th and 6th centuries. With these mythologies that fly the audience, they gathered the ancient chests, and in these ages, the Roman and Byzantine periods are running gallop. When you find a high place, together with the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, the Sant'Apollinare Nuovo Basilica (Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo) and the Ariussian Baptistery (Battistero degli Ariani), the Galla Placidia Mausoleum (Mausoleo di Galla Placidia) you can see from the outside.
Of course, many artists think and come from this city, but the two are very important. It is the place where two geniuses, such as Poet Dante Alighieri and Painter Giotto di Bondone, have affected not only the Italian Renaissance literature and the art of painting but the art culture of the earth for centuries.
Those who are keenly interested in art history live Istanbul once again in this art and architectural community; because the structures such as Ayios Polieuktos Church, Studios Monastery (Imrahor Mosque) and Havariyyun Church in Istanbul are the structures of the first phases of Christianity and Byzantine just like the ones here.
For Ravenna, the definition of "Istanbul in Italy" or "Byzantine in Italy" is this genuine kinship. Moreover, the city does not only contain Orthodox symbols and places in Italy, where Catholic belief is dominant; With all its fiction, it is the center of the Ravenna Exarchism, which is affiliated with the Byzantine in Italy, that is the province which is governed by a governor with wide powers.
It is a different experience to see the traces of Orthodoxy in Italy. Ravenna reflects the fusion of Roman forms in Byzantine in art and architecture.
Roman emperor Augustus built the port of Classis a few kilometers from the city, and in the 1st century BC Ravenna became the base of Rome's naval fleet in the Adriatic.
RAVENNA / MINI GUIDE
What are the places to visit in Ravenna, what to do?

Eight works of Ravenna, known for its early masterpieces of mosaic art, are also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List:

Galla Placidia Mausoleum,
Neone Baptistery,
The Baptist of the Ariussians,
Sant’Apollinare Nuovo Basilica,
Sant’Andrea Chapel or Archbishop Chapel (Cappella Arcivescovile),
Theoderic Mausoleum, Basilica of San Vitale,
Classe Sant’Apollinare Basilica (Basilica di Sant’Apollinare in Classe).
In addition, there are other interesting artistic and archaeological sites such as the Stone Carpets House (Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra), the ancient port of Classe and the Classis Ravenna (City and Regional Museum). His works, which are accepted as "World Heritage", represent the first phase of Christianity and contain high-level examples of mosaic art.

Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region, which is also famous for the plains watered by the Po River, which is the biggest stream of Italy, is also important for travelers with its nature adorned by forests and vineyards. It is easily accessible from Northern Italy and the south by land and railways. It is also an important stop for city cruise tours. It is also popular with food culture, beaches in the coastal area, arts and culture festivals.

PASTA MAKING
Ravenna is also ambitious about the kitchen. You can quickly experience the traditions of Italian table in the city; You can get cooking and cooking trainings such as tagliatelle, tortellini, bolognese ragu sauce, or the famous “piadina”.

RAVIOLI
If ravioli how the mesh in Turkey, the ravioli so famous in Italian cities. However, some kitchens are also served with sauces made of herbs and vegetables, which are part of the Mediterranean culture.

PIAZZA DEL POPOLO
Piazza del Popolo, which is one of the most important squares of the city and surrounded by historical buildings, has large and small cafes for those who want to drink fatigue coffee.

BEACHES
Although Ravenna city center is located inside from the shore, it is very easy to reach the long and wide beaches on the Adriatic Sea coast during the summer months.
Source: Atlas February 2020
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