This provincial city in Italy in the V century adopted the imperial court and for several centuries was the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Located near the Adriatic Sea, Ravenna is incredibly rich in architectural monuments of the early Christian and Byzantine eras. She is especially famous for her mosaic art. Fascinating paintings from pieces of smalt, which adorn the famous buildings of the city, amaze with special beauty.
The main cathedral of the mosaic capital
The UNESCO-protected Cathedral of San Vitale in Ravenna is considered the main temple of a small village. It was written about him that the more beautiful and majestic religious monument in Europe can no longer be found. Laid in 525 BC, the basilica is famous for Byzantine mosaics that do not collapse from time to time. It is curious that on one of them Christ, sitting on a blue ball, symbolizing our planet, is depicted as a young man without a beard. In the remaining mosaics you can see the emperor and his family.
When the city passed to the Byzantines, they did not begin to destroy the temple of San Vitale in Ravenna, but supplemented with drawings in which the masters laid out the new ruler and his wife. It is believed that mosaics at that time were analogues of photographs, and talented authors recreated all the features of a person to the smallest detail and reflected the nuances of the costume and jewelry.
Mausoleum dedicated to the daughter of the emperor of the Roman Empire
The true masterpieces of the treasure city, considered unsurpassed throughout the world, surpass many attractions in terms of artistic value. The city has a UNESCO-protected mausoleum, striking in contrast to the ascetic appearance and the enchanting interior.
The structure, built of red brick, bears the name of the daughter of the last emperor of the Roman Empire. Theodosius the Great, who earned his nickname from Christian writers, banned pagan cults. An ardent champion of Orthodoxy did everything to determine the direction of religious development in Europe. Under his rule, Christian postulates were approved by decrees. Canonized in the face of St. Theodosius the Great put an end to the Roman Gothic war.
Not a mausoleum, but a chapel?
His daughter was raised in Constantinople, from where she brought Byzantine masters. The famous mausoleum, located near San Vitale, was erected by her order. However, she found the last shelter not in the majestic structure, which is dedicated to her, but in the family crypt, located in Rome, in 450. Scientists believe that the mausoleum of Galla Placidia was the chapel of St. Lawrence, who patronized the imperial family, and, most likely, the Visigoth Queen here only prayed.
The contrast between the appearance and the interior
Historians have studied the architecture of the building and the theme of mosaics and found out that the mausoleum is very similar to the martyries - places of worship built over the graves. Located near the Ravenna Basilica, the monument looks very modest in appearance and is an example of the architecture of early Christian churches. It is a Latin cross with a tower resembling a cube into which an invisible dome is inscribed by brilliant architects. The ascetic appearance of the building contrasts sharply with the luxury of the interior.
Similar to the fortress structure of the mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, it is deliberately fenced off from the outside world by powerful walls and narrow windows resembling loopholes through which weak light penetrates.
For Christians of that time, external beauty did not mean anything compared to spiritual, and art critics even compared such works with unremarkable shells that store precious pearls inside themselves.
Mosaic decoration
The lower part of the walls is lined with transparent marble, creating a feeling of lightness and airiness. The dome of the mausoleum is decorated with mosaics with wonderful patterns in blue and gold shades, and in its center shines an east-oriented bright cross - a symbol of not only the torment of Jesus, but also his victory over death. Thus, the illusory effect of the starry sky is achieved, against which the figures of saints soar in the air. A magical pattern is applied to silk scarves sold in every souvenir shop, and tourists take with them a piece of the famous Ravenna monument.
The scene with the Good Shepherd, surrounded by a flock of sheep, where the seated Christ is depicted as a heavenly king, leaning on a cross, many researchers attribute not to the shepherd's idyll, but to a funeral cult, and here you can feel the spirit of solemnity. Mosaics, in which the clear influence of Constantinople can be traced, are made a hundred years after the Byzantine Empire adopted Christianity.
The uniqueness of mosaic paintings
The famous mausoleum of Galla Placidia stands out among the rest of the monuments of Ravenna with a mosaic ensemble, the canvases of which are completed paintings. Researchers pay attention to the amazing talent of the master, who created stunning works. It can be noted that the saints have classically regular facial features, their poses are lively and not frozen, the author draws attention to lighting effects and interprets the air environment in his own way.
The uniqueness of the gift lies in the special mosaic masonry technique. The mausoleum of Galla Placidia stands out among the rest of the architectural ensembles with stunning masterpieces made by an anonymous master. They surpass other works preserved in Ravenna. Smalt of various shapes fit at a special angle with small gaps, which increased visual perception: the color palette expanded due to optical refraction of light.
With poor lighting, the images flickered, and it seemed that the walls of the structure were lined with precious stones, iridescent in different colors. In a small space, the colors of the mosaics sparkle with an unearthly brilliance that expresses the inner awe of all visitors admiring the vibrant artistic images.
One of the researchers of Byzantine art, admired by the greatness of the miracle of Ravenna, said that everyone who enters the scantily lit mausoleum of Galla Placidia is transported to another world where the seal of the unusual lies everywhere.