Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna 
Exterior of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, built c.500 AD.
See many more photos in our Sant'Apollinare Nuovo Photo Gallery.
Interior of the basilica. Photo © Paradoxplace.com.
Mosaic of a procession on the nave wall. Photo
Amelie.
Byzantine column and capital.
Mosaic depiction of the Port of Classe.
Theodoric's palace and a view of Ravenna c.500 AD.
Disembodied hand at Theodoric's palace.
Mosaic of the Calling of the Disciples.
Mosaic of the Last Supper.
The Three Magi.
Mosaic of Christ enthroned with angels.
Mosaic of the Virgin and Child.
The Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is a 6th-century church in eastern Ravenna. Named for Ravenna's first bishop, it is famed for its two side walls full of figurative mosaics dating from c.500 (under the Arian king Theodoric) and c.560 (under Catholic administration).
History
This basilica was built by Theodoric sometime after 500 AD as an Arian cathedral (in the same era as the Arian Baptistery) dedicated to Christ; it was converted into a Catholic church dedicated to St. Martin around 560.
The dedication was changed again in the 9th century to St. Apollinare, first bishop of Ravenna, when the saint's relics were moved here from Sant'Apollinare in Classe for protection from pirate raids.
The basilica's present name, the "New Basilica of St. Apollinaris," does not mean it is newer than its namesake in Classe - it is actually several decades older. Instead, the "Nuovo" was added to distinguish it from another church of St. Apollinaris in the city, which has since disappeared.
The apse of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo was originally covered in mosaics like the walls, but these were unfortunately removed during 16th century renovations. The present apse and porch date from the 16th and 18th centuries.
Along with other ancient monuments in Ravenna, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. The advisory body remarked, "Both the exterior and the interior of the basilica graphically illustrate the fusion between the Western and eastern styles characteristic of the late 5th-early 6th century. This is one of the most important buildings from this period of crucial cultural significance in European religious art."
What to See
The interior of the church measures 138 by 69 feet and contains 24 marble columns from Constantinople. Greek monograms can be seen in many of the capitals; these are markers of the workshops in which they were made. The present floor level is four feet higher than the original height, which occurred during restorations at the beginning of the 16th century.
The walls of the nave and clerestory are covered in glittering mosaics from the early 6th century AD. Some of them date from the Arian period under Theodoric (496-526), including the 26 panels depicting scenes from the life of Christ, the large portrait of Christ enthroned, and the depictions of Theodoric's palace in Ravenna and the port at Classe.
The remaining mosaics - the standing prophets, processions of saints, the Three Magi, and the large Virgin and Child - date from the Catholic period around 560 AD. At this time the palace of Theodoric and port of Classe were severely altered to remove all portraits of the Arian Gothic rulers.
The Biblical Mosaics
The top row of mosaics on both walls depict scenes from the life of Christ as described in the New Testament. These are among the oldest mosaics in the church, dating from Theodoric's time (493-526).
Although they were commissioned for an Arian congregation, the subjects are similar to those depicted in orthodox Byzantine art. However, there are some notable differences: the Arian mosaics show a traditional Roman artistic style; they represent Christ naturalistically; and they leave out the Crucifixion. However, other scenes from the Passion and Resurrection are included. The cruciform halo around Christ's head in each scene is almost certainly a Catholic addition - it overlaps awkwardly with other figures in some examples.
Amazingly, all the biblical mosaic panels are original and unaltered save two: the Miracle at Cana was much altered during a poor restoration in the 19th century; and the Healing of the Paralytic was fully restored after damage from an Austrian bomb in 1916. The latter, however, was painstakingly restored to its original appearance using photographs taken before the damage.
At least two artists carried out these mosaic panels: the scenes in the left wall show Christ as youthful and beardless; those on the right wall depict him as a mature man with a beard. Those on the right are artistically superior to those on the left, but both artists depicted their subjects full of color and movement.
Listed below are the subjects of the mosaics from east to west on each wall.
Left Wall: Miracles and Parables
- Miracle at Cana
- Miracle of Loaves and Fishes
- Call of Peter and Andrew
- Healing of the Blind Men at Jericho
- Healing of the Woman with Issue of Blood
- Samaritan Woman at the Well
- Raising of Lazarus
- Pharisee and Publican at the Temple Gate
- Widow's Mite
- Separation of Sheep and Goats
- Healing of the Paralytic at Capernaum
- Healing of the Man Possessed by a Devil
- Healing of the Paralytic at Bethesda
Right Wall: Passion and Resurrection
- Last Supper (similar to a miniature in the 6th-century Codex Purpureus)
- Garden of Gethsemane
- Kiss of Judas and Arrest of Christ
- Trial before Caiphas
- Prediction of Peter's Denial
- Peter's Denial
- Remorse of Judas
- Pilate Washing His Hands
- Via Dolorosa
- Holy Women at the Tomb
- Pilgrims on the Road to Emmaus
- Doubting Thomas
Processions of Prophets and Saints
The middle row of mosaics is occupied by white-robed standing prophets, 16 on each side. They each have different features and carry a scroll, marked with a representation of Hebrew text, in a different way.
The bottom row contains a procession of saints moving rhythmically to the east end of the church, labeled with their names above. On the left (north) side, 22 virgin martyrs move towards the Virgin and Child, who are flanked by angels and receive gifts from the Three Magi. On the right (south) side, 26 male martyrs approach Christ Enthroned.
All of these mosaics date from the later Catholic period (c.560) except for the majestic Christ Enthroned, which is an Arian original except for the cruciform halo. The Three Magi have unfortunately been over-restored and their faces are far too naturalistic to be original.
Ravenna and Classe
At the west end of the nave, the spaces between the columns of the Palace of Theodoric and the front of the wall of the Port at Classe were originally filled with portraits of Theodoric and his court, but these were censored out when the Catholics took over the basilica in c.560. The palace spaces were blacked out and covered up with curtains - a floating hand can still be seen on a column! And the wall at Classe is now plain masonry.
Quick Facts
| Site Information | |
| Names: | Sant'Apollinare Nuovo; Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo; New Basilica of St. Apollinarus |
| Location: | Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Catholic |
| Dedication: | St. Apollinaris (Apollinare) of Ravenna |
| Category: | Churches; World Heritage Sites |
| Architecture: | Byzantine |
| Date: | c.500; modified 560 |
| Features: | Byzantine Mosaics |
| Status: | active |
| Photo gallery: | Sant'Apollinare Nuovo Photo Gallery |
| Visitor Information | |
| Address: | Via Di Roma, Ravenna, Italy |
| Coordinates: | 44.41677° N, 12.204899° E (view on Google Maps) |
| Lodging: | View hotels near this location |
| Phone: | 0544 541688 |
| Website: | www.turismo.ra.it |
| Opening hours: | Daily 10-5 Closed December 25 and January 1 |
| Cost: | €8.50 for combined ticket with other monuments |
Travel Resources
- Ravenna Map - our detailed interactive map of Ravenna, plus hand-picked links to more
- Ravenna Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
- Ravenna Car Rentals - get the lowest rate by comparing multiple car companies at a glance
- Ravenna Restaurant Reviews - the best places to eat in town
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Ravenna Map.
Article Sources
- Personal visit (May 10, 2008).
- Guiseppe Bovini, "Sant'Apollinare Nuovo" in Ravenna: Art and History (Ravenna: Longo), 59-81.
- Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo - Ravenna Tourist Office
- PlanetWare (2006).
- Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna - UNESCO World Heritage List
- San Apollinare Nuovo - Paradoxplace
- Ravenna Mosaics - Images from World History
Last updated on February 9, 2010.
